Malian Singer Rokia Traoré Detained in Belgium Over Child Custody Dispute

One of Africa’s most recognized musicians, the Malian singer Rokia Traoré, has reportedly been incarcerated in Belgium as a result of an ongoing child custody disagreement. The 50-year-old artist’s detention follows her extradition from Italy, related to an unserved two-year prison term, as reported by the AFP news agency. This protracted legal matter began in 2020 when Traoré was first apprehended in France under a Belgian arrest warrant for not complying with a judicial directive to transfer her daughter to the child’s Belgian father. Several months subsequent to her conditional release, Traoré traveled to Mali via a private aircraft, disregarding a prohibition on her departure from France pending her extradition to Belgium. In October of last year, a Belgian court convicted Traoré in absentia, imposing a two-year prison sentence for parental abduction, specifically for “failing to hand over a child to the person entitled to custody”. Traoré was apprehended in June at Fiumicino airport in Rome upon her arrival for a concert, due to the unresolved child custody conviction, which was subject to a European arrest warrant. Two months subsequent to this, a tribunal in Italy’s capital sanctioned her extradition. An appeal lodged by the singer was dismissed last week, thereby clearing the path for the extradition to proceed. Traoré has remained incarcerated since her apprehension, according to the Reuters news agency. According to Traoré’s support campaign, her daughter, who is currently nine years old, has resided in Mali since she was four months old. A legal representative for the child’s father, Jan Goossens, who is Traoré’s former partner, reportedly stated that he has not communicated with his daughter since that time. Her legal counsel had indicated that at the time of her initial arrest in 2020, she was en route from Mali to Brussels with the intention of challenging the custody decision. The government of Mali had previously expressed its backing for the singer, asserting that she possessed a diplomatic passport. Vincent Lurquin, Traoré’s attorney, reportedly informed AFP that the singer intends to contest the two-year prison sentence, a move that would initiate a new judicial proceeding. Lurquin further stated that both Traoré and Goossens aspire to “find an agreement in the interests of the child,” thereby potentially preventing an additional prison term. AFP conveyed that the Belgian state prosecutor’s office verified Traoré’s continued confinement for the duration of any subsequent trial. Traoré stands as one of Africa’s most renowned vocalists, having secured multiple accolades, such as the BBC Award for World Music in 2004 and the World Music Album of the year in 2009 at the Victoires de la Musique, which is considered the French equivalent of the Grammys. Her work as an advocate for refugees is also notable, having been appointed a goodwill ambassador for the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees in 2015, covering West and Central Africa. Update on 2 December: This report has been revised to specify the date the daughter relocated to Mali, as per Traoré’s support campaign. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.