Parliamentary investigation into Arlinda Zekaj’s murder begins today

The Kosovo Assembly’s special investigative committee will meet for the first time today to examine the case of Arlinda Zekaj, who was killed on October 25 in Vitomiricë, Pejë. The meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

The committee includes representatives of all political parties. They will investigate the circumstances leading up to the murder, as well as the actions or failures to act of the responsible institutions.

The committee is chaired by Burim Ramadani and was established by the Kosovo Assembly with 90 votes in favor. Its mandate includes investigating institutional responsibility in Arlinda’s case, as well as how domestic violence against women and children is handled.

Committee member and Kosovo Assembly deputy speaker Emilia Rexhepi said the investigation must establish whether institutions encountered obstacles or failed in their handling of the case.

According to Rexhepi, all the circumstances preceding Arlinda’s murder need to be established. She stressed that the high number of women killed points to problems that society as a whole must confront.

Rexhepi said the committee would examine how the institutions acted. She said its members would do everything they could to follow the progress of the investigation into the case and determine whether the institutions were obstructed at any stage of the process.

Arlinda Zekaj was 49 when she was killed on October 25 in Vitomiricë, Pejë. Her former brother-in-law is suspected of the murder and was arrested on October 27 in Deçan.

The case prompted widespread reaction, particularly because the victim had repeatedly warned the authorities about the violence and the danger she faced. She had reported physical and psychological abuse, sought protection from the authorities and expressed concern for her safety.

On October 16, the Basic Court in Pejë had issued a six-month emergency protection order. The order gave Arlinda the right to use the shared home and temporary custody of her son.

The situation, however, had remained tense. On October 23, two days before the murder, a police officer emailed police leaders requesting further measures to protect Arlinda and daily visits by police patrols. In that message, he drew attention to troubling circumstances in the home where she was staying.

On October 25, Arlinda returned to her home accompanied by police. She was killed shortly afterward.

The murder raised questions about how institutions had handled her reports and whether a more effective response could have prevented it. After the murder, the Kosovo Assembly adopted a resolution and subsequently established the parliamentary investigative committee.

The committee’s investigation is expected to focus on how Arlinda’s reports were handled, the implementation of protective measures and the actions of the responsible institutions before the murder, with the aim of clarifying responsibility and the circumstances of the case.