Malian singer Rokia Traoré, transferred from Italy, imprisoned in Belgium

Since 2019, she has been in conflict with Belgian playwright Jan Goossens over custody of their daughter, born in 2015. The father claims not to have seen the child for five and a half years.

Malian singer Rokia Traoré, wanted by Belgian justice, was transferred on Friday November 29 from Italy and incarcerated in Haren prison, near Brussels, the public prosecutor's office in the Belgian capital announced to AFP. “She arrived in Belgium and was imprisoned in Haren prison”said a spokesperson for the prosecution, without giving other details.

Rokia Traoré, aged 50, is the subject of a conviction for non-representation of a child pronounced in 2023 by the Brussels court. She has been in conflict since 2019 with Belgian playwright Jan Goossens over custody of their daughter, born in 2015, whom her father claims not to have seen for five and a half years. Following a European arrest warrant, Rokia Traoré was arrested last June at Fiumicino airport in Rome, where she had just landed for a concert in Italy.

According to her Belgian lawyer, Vincent Lurquin, the singer had to inform the Belgian justice system, upon her arrival, of her opposition to the default conviction of 2023, in order to be able to be retried in his presence. In this case, “she will remain in detention for the duration of this second trial”indicated the spokesperson for the prosecution. This new hearing could be held as early as December. Contacted by AFP, Me Lurquin expressed his desire to “find an agreement in the interests of the child” with the opposing party, in order to avoid a new conviction for Rokia Traoré.

Since her arrest in Italy, Rokia Traoré opposed her extradition to Belgium, but she has exhausted all her appeals before Italian justice. The last one was rejected on November 20 by the Italian Court of Cassation, thus allowing his transfer.