Kosovo Assembly Vice President Emily Rexhepi has called for independent review of the actions of the institutions responsible following the assassination of Arlinda Zekiaj in Vitomirica of Pec, stressing the need for concrete measures in preventing violence against women.
At the Assembly session, Rexhepi said the case is particularly disturbing, since, according to her, the victims three days before the assassination had been addressed by the prosecution demanding urgent action, while on the day of the event, he had reported domestic violence.
She stressed that during this year eight women have lost their lives under violent circumstances in Kosovo, while during October alone, three cases of women’s deaths have been recorded.
Rexhepi asked that the actions of the competent bodies be considered and that the eventual responsibility for institutional concessions be determined.
Women need more than statements after tragedies, they need effective protection while they are still alive, she said.
She also called for more education and social awareness of women’s rights, gender equality and prevention of violence, assessing that change should start in the family and continue in schools and institutions.
Rexhepi also raised concerns about hate speech and threats against women on social networks, asking the State Prosecutor and Independent Commission for Media to act within their legal competencies.
In the end, she stressed that protecting women is a matter of basic human rights and of state responsibility.
When a woman seeks protection, the state’s response should be security, not another expression of comfort, Rexhepi concluded.
Source Layer: RTKLive