CurrentReport Blog Malian songstress Rokia Traore is set to be extradited from Italy to Belgium to serve a two-year prison sentence following a legal battle over child custody. The ruling was made by a Rome court on Thursday, ordering that Traore be transferred to Belgium within the next 10 days.
The legal troubles for the renowned artist began in 2020 when she was detained in France on a Belgian arrest warrant. The warrant was issued after Traore failed to comply with a court order to hand over her daughter to the child’s Belgian father. After being conditionally released, Traore fled to Mali on a private flight, violating a travel ban that prohibited her from leaving France until her extradition to Belgium was finalized.
In October 2023, a Belgian court sentenced Traore in absentia to two years in prison on charges of parental abduction for not handing over her daughter to the legally entitled parent. Her daughter, who is now nine years old, has been living in Mali since she was four.
Traore was arrested again in Italy in June 2024 but challenged the extradition order. Despite her legal appeals, the Rome court ruled against her, affirming that she must be extradited to Belgium to serve her sentence.
The case has drawn significant attention due to Traore’s international fame and the complex legal and diplomatic issues involved. The situation highlights the challenges of cross-border legal disputes, especially in cases involving child custody and parental rights.
As Traore prepares to face her legal obligations in Belgium, many will be watching to see how this case unfolds and the potential impact on her career and personal life.
