KJC: Arlinda Zekaj-Sylaj was under a protection order, indictment against her husband registered after the murder

The Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) announced that Arlinda Zekaj-Sylaj had been under a protection order throughout the entire period.

An inspection at the Basic Court in Peja found that the decisions on her protection had been sent to the Kosovo Police for implementation. The indictment against her husband, Jeton Sylaj, was received by the court on October 26 at 8:56 a.m., that is, after her murder.

The inspection at the court was urgently requested by KJC Chair Rrustem Thaqi on October 26. The Judicial Inspection Unit submitted its final report to the Council on October 28.

According to the KJC statement, the case documents show that the Basic Court in Peja accepted the request for an immediate protection order on September 7, 2026, and ruled on it on the same date.

The objection filed by Arlinda Zekaj-Sylaj and the victims’ protection representative concerned only the part of the ruling related to custody of the child and alimony. The court approved the request through its ruling of October 16, against which, according to the KJC, the parties did not file an appeal.

“Based on the case files, it appears that the protected party, Arlinda Zekaj-Sylaj, had a Protection Order in place throughout the entire period,” the Council said in its statement.

The KJC clarified that the only parties in this case were Arlinda Zekaj-Sylaj and her husband, Jeton Sylejman Sylaj. Albert Sylaj, the suspect in the murder, does not appear in any of the documents in this case, according to the institution.

The Council also announced details about a request the deceased had sent to the president of the Basic Court in Peja on September 17. She had claimed that the judge handling the case had issued a decision unlawfully and outside the statutory deadlines.

According to the KJC, the court president requested explanations from the judge that same day and received a response. On October 20, Arlinda Zekaj-Sylaj received a written response informing her of the actions that had been taken.

The Council rejected reports that Chair Thaqi had received a request from the deceased. An inspection of the physical records and official email, the statement said, found no request from her received by the institution up to October 28.

The KJC stated that it would take the necessary legal steps, including possible measures against individuals proven to have acted or failed to act in violation of the legislation in force.

Arlinda Zekaj, 49, was killed on Sunday. Her brother-in-law, Albert Sylaj, is suspected of the murder and was arrested by police late last night.