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Kosovo: Protests and outrage after a woman was killed despite repeatedly seeking assistance from the authorities
Arlinda Zekaj, 49, was killed at her home in western Kosovo after repeatedly asking police for protection from her husband and his family. Her death has prompted protests involving thousands, with demonstrators accusing state institutions of failing to act on her warnings.
Zekaj had reported threats and obtained a protection order, but her husband remained in the family home under distance restrictions. Three days before her death, she reported that her brother-in-law, Albert Sylaj, had threatened her; he is now under investigation for murder. It was Kosovo’s eighth femicide in 2026, and 55 women have been killed by partners or family members since 2010.
In short
- Arlinda Zekaj was killed after repeatedly seeking help.
- Thousands are protesting alleged institutional failures.
- Kosovo has recorded 55 such killings since 2010.
Explained simply
Kosovo is a country in the western Balkans that declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Its police and courts are responsible for responding to reports of threats and enforcing protection orders, which can restrict how close an accused person may come to someone at risk.
Arlinda Zekaj was seeking protection from her husband and his family. Her case has drawn attention to how authorities handle warnings of domestic violence and whether protective measures keep people safe.
The term femicide refers to the killing of a woman or girl because of her gender, often by a partner or family member. The reported deaths of women in Kosovo over many years have made the prevention of violence against women a continuing public concern.