Kazakhstan Moves to Legalize and Regulate Private Detective Work

The lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, the Mazhilis, has initiated work on a bill to legalize private detective activity. The proposed legislation introduces a licensing system for investigators and establishes strict qualification requirements for the profession.

During a plenary session, deputies voted to accept the draft law and related amendments for consideration. The documents will undergo further review in two future readings.

The core bill aims to create a legal framework for private investigative services in Kazakhstan. According to its provisions, private detective work will become a licensed type of entrepreneurial activity. Only Kazakh citizens who obtain the proper license will be permitted to operate as private detectives.

Both individuals and legal entities will be able to contract detectives for services, with all engagements requiring a formal agreement between the parties.

The draft law outlines fundamental principles for the industry. These include adherence to legality, non-interference in state affairs, respect for individual rights and freedoms, confidentiality of investigations, and professional ethics.

Strict Requirements for Detectives

The proposed rules set a high bar for entry into the profession. A candidate must be at least 30 years old and cannot be a state employee. Several categories of individuals are explicitly barred from becoming detectives.

This includes persons with an unexpunged criminal record; those undergoing addiction treatment or with certain mental health diagnoses; individuals under suspicion in a criminal case; and former civil servants dismissed for corruption within the last five years.

A licensed detective can only be employed by one agency at a time. The law also prohibits foreign nationals from engaging in private detective work within Kazakhstan or opening branches of foreign detective agencies in the country.

In conducting investigations, detectives will be permitted to use video and audio recording equipment, photography, and other technical means. However, they are expressly forbidden from employing special technical devices reserved for state law enforcement's operational-search activities. Any methods used must not harm citizens' life or health or damage the environment.