Malian singer Rokia Traoré arrested again: A look at her legal battle and humanitarian Work
Rokia Traoré, the acclaimed Malian singer, who was previously detained in France in 2020, has been arrested again at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport due to a Belgian child custody dispute.
She was taken into custody upon arrival for a concert, as reported by Italian media.
In fact, in 2020, Traoré was apprehended in France on a Belgian warrant for failing to comply with a court order to hand over her child to her father.
After being conditionally released, she defied a travel ban and fled to Mali, avoiding extradition to Belgium.
Last October, a Belgian court sentenced Traoré in absentia to two years in prison for parental abduction, specifically for not handing over her child to the father.
Her daughter, now nine, has lived in Mali since the age of four. The father, Traoré’s former partner, claims he has had no contact with his daughter since then.
At the time of her initial 2020 arrest, Traoré was traveling from Mali to Brussels to appeal the custody decision.
Mali’s government supported her, citing her diplomatic passport status.
Rokia Traoré is not only celebrated for her musical achievements, such as the BBC Award for World Music in 2004 and the World Music Album of the Year at the Victoires de la Musique in 2009, but also for her humanitarian efforts.
Since 2015, she has served as a UN goodwill ambassador for refugees in West and Central Africa, using her platform to advocate for the rights and well-being of displaced individuals.
