She was afraid of her family and wrote a letter to the prosecutor's office just before her death. After the tragedy, people took to the streets

The banners read: "Do we have to die to be taken seriously?", "Men kill women, the state is silent" and "Down with the patriarchal system." Protesters also carried photos of murdered women, eight this year.

The story of a murdered woman

The death of Arlinda Zekaj, who had dual U.S. and Kosovo citizenship, sparked particular outrage because the woman had appealed to the authorities for help before her death, warning that she could be killed. In a letter sent to the prosecutor's office just three days before the murder, she wrote that officials were "shifting responsibility from one to the other," and as a result, "the threat to her life continues."

Zekaj repeatedly complained about violence from her husband. She moved in with her parents and asked for protection. She returned home after her husband was arrested last weekend in connection with acts of domestic violence. The police did not provide her with any protection, and after returning home, the woman was murdered with an ax by her brother-in-law.

The government admits negligence

On Monday, in response to Zekaj's death, Kosovo's parliament held an extraordinary session. Deputies have established an investigative commission whose task will be to examine the possible responsibility of state institutions in this matter.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti joined the criticism, pointing to "a systemic series of negligence on the part of institutions responsible for security and justice." The case, which was preceded by such clear and yet ignored warning signals, could not have ended differently, Kurti said on Wednesday, quoted by AP.

According to data from the Ministry of Justice of Kosovo, in 2025, in a country of approximately 2 million inhabitants, the police recorded 2,815 reports of domestic violence.