Russian Bailiffs to Gain Access to Data on Russians' Property in CIS

Russian Bailiffs to Gain Access to Information on Russians' Property in CIS Countries

Russian court bailiffs will be able to request information on bank accounts, income and property of Russians in a number of CIS countries. This became possible after Vladimir Putin ratified the corresponding agreement.

According to the information, Russia's Federal Bailiff Service (FSSP) will gain the right to request information about Russians from its counterparts in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Such an agreement, as explained by Yevgeny Smirnov, a lawyer at Pervy Otdel, will allow Russian authorities to search for debtors' property outside the Russian Federation.

How the Cross-Border Enforcement Mechanism Will Work

This agreement provides that Russian authorities will be able to issue a decision to seize a citizen's property located outside Russia. After that, the decision will have to be recognized by a court in the country where the Russian citizen is located and handed over to local bailiffs for enforcement.

Countries Where Information Will Be Requested

CIS country: Armenia
CIS country: Azerbaijan
CIS country: Kyrgyzstan
CIS country: Tajikistan
CIS country: Belarus
CIS country: Uzbekistan
CIS country: Kazakhstan

Who This Affects

According to data cited by Yevgeny Smirnov, a lawyer at Pervy Otdel, the agreement may be used to search for debtors' assets, including political relocants.