Kosovo Police Suspend Staff After Fatal Flaw in Protection Case

Kosovo authorities suspended several senior police officers and one prosecutor on November 4, a move taken to address institutional failures following the October 25 murder of Arlinda Zekaj. The 49-year-old victim had an active protection order in place when she was killed in her bedroom in Vitomirica, a village near Peja. Her death marks the eighth femicide recorded in the country this year.

Zekaj had reported her husband to police on the day of the murder, resulting in his arrest. She also requested protection from her husband's family, specifically her brother-in-law Albert Sylaj. Police transported her home, and she exited the vehicle at 8:58 p.m. An emergency call placed moments later led officers to the house at 9:10 p.m., where they found her body. She had been struck with an axe. Sylaj, who fled the scene, was arrested on October 27 and is currently under investigation for murder.

The legal protections for Zekaj had been established over the summer. A Peja court granted her temporary custody of her son and allowed her to remain in the family home. The order required her husband to stay two meters from her indoors and 20 meters away outdoors. Zekaj declined a spot in a women's shelter to stay with her son. Despite the order, she filed continued complaints about threats from Sylaj. On October 22, three days before her death, she told police that Sylaj and other family members were in her home against her wishes. She reported that Sylaj told her, "Leave or I'll kill you." Sylaj was only questioned as a witness in the case against her husband.

Public outrage began the day after the killing. On October 26, activists painted the steps of the Pristina government building red and displayed a banner stating, "The state killed Arlinda." Demonstrations continued on November 1, with thousands carrying photos of deceased women. Protesters are demanding criminal charges for the officials involved and the resignation of Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla and Justice Minister Donika Gervalla. Prime Minister Albin Kurti appointed Gervalla in March to coordinate domestic violence protection. Both ministers have refused to resign, while Kurti stated that state institutions "failed."

Since 2010, 55 women in Kosovo have been killed by partners or family members. Lawyer Njomeza Zejnullahu wrote for the portal Nacionale that this pattern represents "a collapse of the state and society in relation to women in general." Liridona Sijarina, an activist with Kolektivi Feminist, argued that those in the chain of responsibility must be criminally prosecuted, not just removed from office. She said this should include Peja Mayor Gazmend Muhaxheri.

Activists are pressing the Interior Ministry to establish a dedicated unit that treats women's safety as a national security matter. They also want the government to prioritize affordable social housing legislation for survivors of domestic violence. Sijarina said the government now has the opportunity to show whether it takes women's lives seriously.

The next step in the legal process involves the ongoing investigation of Albert Sylaj. The suspended officials will remain out of their positions while the government reviews the handling of Zekaj's case. The draft housing legislation remains pending in the assembly.