2052 cases of domestic violence within nine months in Kosovo
tidings
Express Newspaper
30/10/2026 6:55
Sunday, October 25 shook the country.
Arlinda Zekaj was killed by her brother-in-law with an ax in Vitomirica, Peja.
She became one of eight women killed during 2026 by their partners, ex-partners or family members.
The data of the Kosovo Police show that domestic violence continues to be widespread in Kosovo.
Until September of this year, 2 thousand 52 cases of domestic violence were registered. Of them, 1,626 victims are women.
But how are these cases treated legally?
“According to the law in force, it is not necessarily only the victims who report the violence, but also other people, who see the violence, have a legal obligation and a legal obligation to report it. Therefore, since the police, at the moment when a victim addresses and reports the case to the police, the police have an obligation to take all legal actions”, says Anton Nrecaj-lawyer.
And when it is estimated that the danger is high, measures should also be taken to confiscate the weapons that can be used by the perpetrator.
“According to the official duty, immediately the cases of domestic violence are also considered as criminal offenses…, of course it would be necessary that if the level of danger, it is said, is high, the prosecutor’s office should cooperate with the police in raiding actions and confiscate the weapons with which the same perpetrator could potentially commit a criminal offense”, he said.
But what are some of the factors affecting domestic violence.
“We have mental health, we have a large increase in psychoactive substances, drugs, which are also affecting the well-being and life, the quality within the family, even being a cause of additional violence. Our socio-economic situation or well-being, and some other factors, which are related to the social, perhaps also to the judiciary, to justice, which in some cases many court processes are delayed, and people, then, take things as they have or in their own hands, doing self-judgment”, says Genx Xerxa-sociologist.
Otherwise, during the year 2025, 2711 cases of domestic violence were registered, 1931 of them the victims were women.
