Malian singer and internationally renowned artist Rokia Traoré is scheduled to be released from a Belgian prison on Wednesday, according to local news agency Belga, citing her legal team. However, this information has not yet been independently confirmed by Traoré’s representatives or local authorities.
At 50, Traoré has made a significant impact on the global music scene and was recognized for her humanitarian work as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) between 2016 and 2018. However, her legal troubles stemmed from a lengthy custody dispute over her daughter with her former Belgian partner, Jan Goossens.
Traoré’s legal troubles began in 2020 when she was arrested in France on a Belgian warrant after failing to comply with a court order related to the custody battle. Although she was conditionally released, Traoré later fled France for Mali, defying an order to remain in the country while awaiting her extradition proceedings. Her daughter currently resides in Mali.
In October 2023, Traoré was sentenced in absentia by a Belgian court to two years in prison over the custody dispute. She was later arrested in Italy in early 2024 and extradited to Belgium after Italy’s highest court dismissed her appeal.
As of now, the Malian artist is expected to be released from prison, marking a significant development in a complex and high-profile legal case.
