A resident of Almaty received a fine for items placed on the front passenger seat of her car after a traffic camera allegedly mistook them for an unbuckled passenger, according to infohub.kz.
Yevgeniya Shestakova shared on social media that the camera recorded a violation of passenger transport rules, even though only personal belongings were on the front seat. The photo attached to the citation shows bags and other items. She believes the system mistakenly identified them as an unbuckled passenger.
"To be honest, I was really surprised this morning when I saw the fine notification. When I opened the citation, I couldn't believe my eyes. Apparently, now we have to buckle up bags and packages placed on the front passenger seat. I got fined because of a large white bag. Yes, it was bulky, but it doesn't look like a person at all. Especially since the photo clearly shows that it's just an ordinary bag. So, dear Kazakhs, it seems we'll now have to buckle up not only passengers but also bags and packages — at least if you don't want to deal with fines later," Shestakova said.
The driver intends to appeal the fine, arguing that the camera mistakenly identified the items inside the car as an unbuckled passenger.
Lawyer Zhandos Palmanov previously explained that drivers have the right to appeal a citation in several cases: if the procedure for imposing liability was violated, there are errors in the vehicle owner's data, the license plate was incorrectly identified, there is insufficient evidence of the violation, there are doubts about the camera's functionality, or photos and video recordings do not confirm the alleged violation. The expert emphasized that each situation requires an individual assessment.
According to the lawyer, an administrative fine can be appealed within 10 days from the date it was served or received. Even if the deadline is missed, the right to appeal is not always lost: if there are valid reasons, the deadline can be reinstated by filing a petition with the relevant authority or court. Before filing an appeal, the lawyer recommends carefully reviewing the citation, preserving all materials documenting the violation, and gathering your own evidence — dashcam footage, photos, witness statements, and other documents.
Appeals can be submitted through the eGov and eOtinish platforms, the Unified Register of Administrative Offenses (URAO), or in person at the Administrative Practice Department of the Administrative Police Directorate of the Almaty Police Department at 185B Baitursynov Street.