Italy Orders Extradition of Rokia Traore to Belgium
Malian singer Rokia Traore, renowned for her contributions to African music and her role as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, is set to be extradited to Belgium after Italy's highest court dismissed her appeal. The decision follows her arrest in Rome in June 2023, stemming from a contentious custody dispute with her ex-husband, a Belgian national.
Traore's lawyer, Maddalena del Re, expressed concerns over the fairness of the extradition process, stating, "Ruqayya has suffered injustice. She was arrested without being heard by the Belgian criminal court. Now the battle for her rights moves to Brussels." The Italian Court of Cassation's ruling aligns with a previous decision by the European Court of Justice, which favored the extradition.
Background of the Custody Dispute
The legal troubles for Traore began when she was arrested at Rome's Fiumicino airport under a European arrest warrant. This warrant was issued due to her failure to comply with a Belgian court order requiring her to return her daughter to her ex-husband. In October 2023, she was sentenced to two years in prison in Belgium related to this ongoing custody battle. Her daughter currently resides in Mali, complicating the situation further.
Traore's legal issues are not new; she was previously arrested in France in 2020 on a similar Belgian warrant after defying a court order regarding her daughter's custody. Following her conditional release, she traveled to Mali, which violated the terms set by the French authorities regarding her extradition case.
Implications of the Extradition
The extradition of Rokia Traore raises significant questions about international custody disputes and the legal frameworks that govern them. Her case highlights the complexities faced by artists and public figures entangled in personal legal battles, particularly when they span multiple countries. As Traore prepares for her extradition, her supporters and legal team are poised to continue advocating for her rights in Belgium, where they argue the initial conviction was issued in her absence, contravening both Italian constitutional principles and international agreements.
