Renowned Malian musician Rokia Traore is expected to be released from a Belgian prison, where she has been detained since November 2023.
According to her legal representatives, Traore’s release is imminent, although the exact date has not been confirmed.
Traore, 50, was arrested in France in 2020 under a Belgian warrant for not complying with a court order linked to her custody dispute with her estranged Belgian partner, Jan Goossens.
She was subsequently extradited to Belgium, where she was sentenced in absentia to a two-year prison term for charges related to parental abduction.
The Malian singer and guitarist has been celebrated as one of Africa’s most prominent vocalists and has served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR, from 2016 to 2018.
Background of the matter
Traore has been entangled in a custody dispute with her Belgian ex-partner, Jan Goossens, since 2020.
The dispute led to her arrest in France under a Belgian warrant for not complying with a court order related to their child’s custody.
Traore was subsequently extradited to Belgium, where she was sentenced to a two-year prison term in absentia by a Brussels court in 2023 for charges related to parental abduction.
She has been detained in Belgium since November 2023.
The custody dispute between Traore and Goossens began when Traore took their daughter to Mali without Goossens’ consent.
Goossens then filed a complaint with the Belgian authorities, leading to Traore’s arrest and extradition.
Traore’s lawyers have argued that the sentence was unfair and that she was not given the opportunity to defend herself in court.
They have also claimed that the Belgian authorities did not take into account the cultural and family context of the case.
The case has sparked widespread concern and outrage, with many of Traore’s fans and supporters calling for her release.
The case has also raised questions about the treatment of African women in European justice systems and the challenges faced by mothers in custody disputes.
