Renowned Malian vocalist Rokia Traoré is set to be released from a Belgian prison on Wednesday, according to reports from Belgian news agency Belga, citing her legal representatives. The 50-year-old singer, widely recognized as one of Africa’s most celebrated artists, was arrested last year over an international child custody conflict involving her daughter and her estranged Belgian partner, Jan Goossens.
Traoré’s legal challenges began in 2020 when she was arrested in France on a Belgian warrant for failing to comply with a court order related to the custody dispute. Following her initial release on conditional terms, she defied restrictions by flying to Mali via a private flight, despite being ordered to remain in France until her extradition case was resolved. Her daughter currently resides in Mali.
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In October 2023, Traoré was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison by a Belgian court for actions connected to the custody battle. She was subsequently arrested in Rome and extradited to Belgium in November 2024 after Italy’s highest court dismissed her appeal.
Traoré, who served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) from 2016 to 2018, has been a prominent figure in African music and advocacy. Her case has sparked conversations about the complexities of international child custody disputes and their intersection with legal jurisdictions.
Efforts to reach Traoré’s representatives and Belgian authorities for confirmation were unsuccessful. However, her impending release marks a turning point in a case that has drawn international attention.
