In brief
Traoré, extradited from Italy, is facing a two-year prison sentence for parental abduction after failing to comply with a court ruling regarding her daughter's custody. The singer seeks an appeal and hopes to negotiate an agreement with her former partner for the sake of their child.
Rokia Traoré, one of Africa's most distinguished musicians, is making headlines for her arrest in Belgium amidst a protracted child custody conflict. The 50-year-old singer has been detained following an extradition from Italy because of an unresolved two-year prison sentence originating from a Belgian court ruling. This ongoing legal saga traces back to 2020 when Traoré was first arrested in France under a Belgian arrest warrant for not conforming to a court order that demanded the return of her daughter to her Belgian father.After spending months conditionally released, Traoré left France for Mali in a private jet, defying court-imposed travel restrictions. In October of last year, she was sentenced in absentia by a Belgian court for parental abduction, under accusations of neglecting to return the child to her custody-holding ex-partner, Jan Goossens. In June 2023, she was apprehended at Fiumicino airport in Rome upon arrival for a concert, stemming from the previously issued European arrest warrant. Following this, her extradition was authorized by an Italian court in August. Despite her legal representation's efforts for an appeal, recent attempts were dismissed, leading to her current incarceration in Belgium. Traoré's daughter, now nine, has been residing in Mali since she was four, and her father, Goossens, has reportedly not had any contact with her since that time. When detained in 2020, Traoré was reportedly en route to Brussels to challenge the custody ruling that had been imposed so far. Mali's government has expressed its support for Traoré, highlighting her diplomatic passport. According to her lawyer, Vincent Lurquin, the singer intends to appeal her sentence and is also aiming to negotiate a resolution that serves the best interests of her daughter, potentially preventing further prison time. Although no contact has taken place between Traoré and her daughter recently, both parents are hopeful for an amicable agreement. Celebrated for her artistic achievements, Traoré has won several prestigious awards, including a BBC Award for World Music and the Victoires de la Musique in France. Beyond her musical career, she is committed to social issues, having been named a goodwill ambassador for the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees in 2015.
