Green Party NI Cllr Rachel Woods has expressed her sadness at the murder of Alesia Nazarova, and offered her condolences to her family and friends.

Alesia is thought to be the 17th woman to be murdered in Northern Ireland since 2020. The vast majority of these women were murdered in their own homes.

Rachel Woods, a member of Stormont's Justice Committee during the last Assembly mandate, said:

"I am saddened for Alesia's family and her friends. This is such a tragic loss of life in what appears to have been a violent and horrific incident. However, it comes in a sickeningly long line of murders and violence committed against women and girls. 

"Also, I am angry that there is no sign of the re-establishment of the Executive and therefore little hope of a much needed strategy to tackle gender based violence. 

"Violence against women and girls has been described as one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world and yet, one of the least prosecuted crimes.

"The sad reality is that violence and abuse against women and girls are endemic across the world and responses to it are woefully inadequate, both legally, institutionally and societally.

"We need a Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy - we are still the only part of the UK without one. The DUP's boycott of the Assembly is holding up vital process in this area."