Background:
- Who: Rokia Traore, a renowned Malian singer and UNHCR goodwill ambassador.
- Where: Arrested in Italy at Rome’s Fiumicino airport.
- When: Arrested on June 20, over three weeks ago.
Legal Issues:
- Arrest: Traore was detained under a European arrest warrant related to a child custody dispute.
- Sentence: She had been sentenced to two years in prison in Belgium last October.
- Custody Battle: Traore did not comply with a Belgian court order to hand over her daughter to the father.
Current Situation:
- Location: Traore is currently in jail in Civitavecchia, near Rome.
- House Arrest: A Rome prosecutor agreed she may be placed under house arrest if she finds a home in Rome.
Legal Appeal:
- Representation: Her lawyer, Maddalena Del Re, is handling her case.
- Appeal: Traore has appealed to European Union judges to resist Belgium’s extradition request.
- Grounds for Appeal: She was sentenced in her absence in Belgium, without being sure she knew about the trial or having a defense lawyer.
- EU Involvement: The Luxembourg-based EU court has been asked to rule on the matter due to its jurisdiction over EU-wide arrest warrants.
Past Legal Trouble:
- First Arrest: Traore was previously arrested in France in 2020 on a similar Belgian warrant.
- Violation: She left France for Mali on a private flight despite being ordered to stay until her extradition case was processed.
Family Situation:
- Daughter: Traore’s daughter, 9, lives in Mali.
- Reunion: Traore hopes to be reunited with her daughter soon.
This situation underscores the complexities of international child custody disputes and the legal challenges involved in cross-border enforcement.
