Lawyer Urges Action Against Kerbulak Police Chief Over Forced Labor Allegations

A defense attorney is demanding disciplinary action against Major Rustem Abylkhanuly, head of the Kerbulak District Police Department, following what he considers an unsatisfactory response from the Jetisu Regional Police Department.

He has submitted an appeal to the Prosecutor General, Orda.kz reports.

This follows our earlier story about Oleg Rybalko, a villager who claims he worked for five years on a farm owned by Major Abylkhanuly and his brothers, Yerlan and Nurlan Malaisariyev—without ever being paid.

According to Rybalko, the farm currently employs three workers, and he only recently managed to flee. In a video address to the Minister of Internal Affairs and the head of the regional police, he described labor exploitation and threats from his former employers.

He is asking authorities to protect him and help recover the 15 million tenge he says he is owed.

Rybalko is represented by Almaty-based attorney Serzhan Praliyev, who initially reached out directly to Major Abylkhanuly and his brother to try to resolve the matter out of court — without success. The lawyer then filed a formal complaint with the Jetisu Police Department, requesting criminal and administrative charges against the major and his brothers.

He cited abuse of power by the major and violations of labor law by the brothers.

Following Orda.kz’s initial publication, the Jetisu Police Department’s personnel inspection unit responded quickly, promising to investigate the claims made by Rybalko and his lawyer.

However, Praliyev later told us the internal inquiry was a formality and that Rybalko still hasn’t received his compensation.

On July 8, 2025, I received a response from the regional police department to my statement, which was more like a formal reply. I got the impression that the police leadership was shielding its own. How else can one explain the fact that my complaint was reviewed not by the employees of the Internal Security Department, but by their colleagues from the Personnel Department? Of course, they found no violations in Major Abylkhanuly’s actions — they never even visited his farm. They just called Rybalko. There was no investigation. I suspect mutual cover-up and concealment of misconduct by current police officers.  Therefore, I contacted the Prosecutor General and the Minister of Internal Affairs with a complaint against the head of the Kerbulak District Police Department,  says Serzhan Praliyev.

Praliyev had earlier sent a complaint to the Jetisu Regional Prosecutor, requesting action to protect Rybalko’s constitutional rights. Instead, he received a generic response, and the case was passed down to the Kerbulak District Prosecutor’s Office — which then referred it back to the police.

The attorney showed us the reply signed by Police Colonel Madiyar Omarov, Deputy Head of the Jetisu Police Department. The letter stated that no wrongdoing was found in Major Abylkhanuly’s conduct. Rybalko was advised to pursue unpaid wages through a civil lawsuit against the Malaisariyev brothers.

Praliyev insists on a proper internal investigation and also plans to file a claim in district court to recover his client’s unpaid salary.

Orda.kz will continue to follow developments closely.

Original Author: Zhanar Kusanova