She was killed near her home in Vitomirica, Peja, on the evening of October 25, shortly after reporting domestic violence by her ex-husband to the police.

Kurti stated that in Kosovo, justice “unfortunately does not protect the vulnerable; on the contrary, justice has sided with the strong.” According to him, the justice system in Kosovo remains crooked.

“The Republic of Kosovo no longer needs any further proof to establish that reforming justice is a national emergency,” he said.

Kurti recalled that regarding the Zekaj case, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have until tomorrow at 18:00 to submit their detailed reports on the evidence and lapses within each institutional chain.

During the day, a protest has been called over Zekaj’s murder, marking her as the eighth woman to be killed this year.

Zekaj had repeatedly sought help from the institutions. She had turned to the authorities stating that as early as December of last year, her husband, from whom she was separated, had threatened her life.

The authorities had subsequently issued a protection order and decided that temporary custody of the couple’s minor child should be granted to Zekaj.

The authorities had also ordered the husband to stay away from her, while ruling that she could remain in the couple’s shared home.

Two days before her murder, Arlinda Zekaj had sent a letter to the Chief Prosecutor of Peja complaining about how her case was being handled and the failure to enforce the court decision.

According to the Prosecution Office, the duty prosecutor assessed that an immediate return home could endanger her life. He instructed her to stay with her brothers and planned for her return home to be carried out under police escort.

On the day of her murder, Arlinda Zekaj filed her final report regarding domestic violence. Her estranged husband was detained for 48 hours, while she insisted on returning to their shared home in accordance with the court ruling.

When asked if she felt safe at home—given that members of her husband’s family were present there—she admitted that her safety remained compromised, but insisted on exercising her rights.

Just minutes after the police escorted her home, Arlinda Zekaj was allegedly killed with an axe by her brother-in-law.

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