Rokia Traoré imprisoned in Belgium amid controversial custody battle
- Rokia Traoré was extradited to Belgium from Italy due to an outstanding two-year prison sentence.
- She was sentenced for failing to return her daughter to her ex-partner, Jan Goossens, in compliance with a Belgian court order.
- The case has risen to prominence as both parties seek an agreement for the child's well-being, with Traoré remaining in custody pending a new trial.
In Belgium, Rokia Traoré, a renowned Malian singer, has been detained following her extradition from Italy related to a child custody dispute. This complicated issue stems from a Belgian court's order issued in 2020, requiring Traoré to return her daughter to her ex-partner, Jan Goossens, who holds custody rights. Traoré fled to Mali after being conditionally released from an earlier detention in France while attempting to appeal the custody ruling. In October 2022, a Belgian court sentenced her in absentia to two years in prison for parental abduction, as she failed to comply with the court’s directive. Her legal troubles escalated when authorities issued a European arrest warrant, leading to her arrest in June 2024 at Rome's Fiumicino airport as she arrived for a concert. Following her arrest, Italian authorities approved her extradition to Belgium despite Traoré's appeal against this decision being rejected. Since her extradition, reports indicate she has remained in custody while awaiting a new trial, complicating her situation further. The singer's daughter has been living in Mali since the age of four, away from her father, resulting in an emotional and contentious legal battle. Both Traoré and Goossens hope to reach an amicable resolution for the child's welfare, potentially preventing further imprisonment. Traoré, recognized internationally for her music and humanitarian efforts, faces a challenging path that intersects her artistic career with complex personal and legal issues.