President Siljanovska-Davkova pardons Shefije Jakupi

North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova has granted a pardon to 71-year-old Shefije Jakupi, reducing her remaining prison sentence by one year and six months. Jakupi, who had served over 17 years of a 20-year sentence, is expected to be released soon.

Jakupi was originally convicted of the brutal killing of her husband, Abaz, following 34 years of marriage. The incident occurred in Düsseldorf, Germany, where Jakupi killed her husband with an axe and used an electric knife to dismember the body following years of severe domestic abuse and femicide.

The President justified the decision by citing recommendations from GRECO and the Council of Europe, which suggest that elderly prisoners should be allowed to spend their final years in freedom. Siljanovska-Davkova emphasized the context of long-term violence, stating that Jakupi had been a victim of continuous femicide for over 35 years and deserved compassion as a person who had endured a lifetime of terror.