The Committee on Constitutional Legislation of the Jogorku Kenesh has reviewed and approved the draft law "On Amending the Law on Notaries" in the second reading. The document aims to humanize the process of revoking and issuing licenses for notarial activities.
One of the key changes in the draft law is the revision of the suspension period for private notaries' licenses. In case of violations by a private notary in the notarial procedures or other regulatory acts governing notarial activities, the license can be suspended for up to three months with a recommendation to undergo additional training to improve qualifications as set by the Notary Chamber.
During the discussion, Deputy Gulya Kozhokulova expressed concern and suggested reducing the suspension period to one month for certain violations, emphasizing the need for proportionate penalties.
In response, Deputy Minister of Justice Orozbek Sydykov highlighted that notaries are granted a 10-year license and are reviewed every five years as per the law. He pointed out that there is no reprimand system for private notaries, hence only license suspension is considered to prevent corruption risks.
Furthermore, according to the proposed version of the law, the termination and revocation of a license can occur under specific circumstances, such as the final conviction of a private notary by a court or the resolution to terminate a criminal case against an individual who has previously committed intentional crimes, regardless of the conviction status.
Additionally, the law on notaries grants private notaries the authority to perform the same notarial acts as state notaries, aiming to reduce queues, enhance accessibility, and ensure efficiency in notarial services.
