Malian singer Rokia Traoré arrested in Rome over Belgian custody dispute

Malian singer Rokia Traoré, renowned for her music and humanitarian work, was arrested at Rome’s Fiumicino airport before a concert.

This follows a Belgian court's 2023 conviction of Traoré for failing to comply with a custody order involving her daughter, now 9, who has lived in Mali since age 4.

Traoré's legal troubles began in 2020 when detained in France under a Belgian warrant.

Despite diplomatic tensions and support from Mali's government due to her status as a diplomat, Traoré faces legal challenges for parental abduction, highlighting a prolonged international legal battle affecting her artistic and humanitarian commitments.