By Malian singer and guitarist Rokia Traore will be extradited from Italy to Belgium within 10 days to serve a two-year prison sentence related to a child custody dispute, her lawyer Maddalena Claudia Del Re confirmed to AFP on Thursday.
Traore, an internationally acclaimed musician and UN ambassador for refugees, was sentenced in absentia by a Brussels court last year on charges of parental abduction. She was arrested in Italy in June and challenged the extradition order, but a Rome court ruled in favor of her transfer to Belgium.
The case stems from a custody battle over Traore’s nine-year-old daughter. Traore was initially arrested in Paris in March 2020 on a European arrest warrant following a Belgian court ruling that ordered her to return her daughter to the child’s Belgian father. She subsequently defied a travel ban and flew to Mali before she could be sent to Belgium.
A lawyer representing the child’s father stated that he has not had any contact with his daughter, who currently lives in Mali, since she was four years old. The father has reportedly offered to create a new custody agreement, to be validated by both Malian and Belgian courts, in an effort to “find a way out of this nightmare and guarantee their child a future with two parents.”
This case highlights the complex legal and emotional challenges surrounding international child custody disputes. It also raises questions about the intersection of cultural differences, parental rights, and the enforcement of international court orders.
Traore, known for her innovative blend of traditional Malian music with jazz and blues, has also gained recognition for her advocacy work. In 2015, she was appointed as a UN ambassador for refugees, adding to her profile as both an artist and humanitarian.
As the extradition process moves forward, the case continues to draw attention to the complexities of resolving family law matters across international borders.
Vanguardng.com
