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Mali backs singer Rokia Traore held in France

By AFP
Mali Mali's authorities say Traore is in possession of a diplomatic passport.  By BERTRAND LANGLOIS AFPFile
MAR 15, 2020 LISTEN
Mali's authorities say Traore is in possession of a diplomatic passport. By BERTRAND LANGLOIS (AFP/File)

Mali's government on Saturday expressed its support for singer Rokia Traore, arrested earlier this week on a Belgian warrant over a child custody dispute with her ex-partner.

The Malian singer was detained as she arrived from Bamako at Paris's Charles De Gaulle airport on Tuesday -- but Mali's government said Saturday said she held a diplomatic passport.

Mali's government "expresses its solidarity with our compatriot", it said in a statement, adding that its diplomatic and consular services had been mobilised to try to resolve the situation.

Traore's lawyer, Kenneth Feliho said the French authorities had ignored this fact when they acted on the Belgian-issued warrant accusing her of kidnapping, sequestration and hostage-taking".

The warrant followed a court ruling against singer and guitarist Traore late last year ordering her to return her five-year-old daughter to her father, who is Belgian.

A court hearing in France is due on Wednesday to examine the request for her extradition to Belgium.

Belgian prosecutors told AFP that the singer is subject to two European arrest warrants: the first issued in October 2019 for having ignored the first Belgian court order.

The second warrant was issued when she failed to honour a commitment she had made in January before a Belgian judge that she would return with the child within a month, said the prosecutors office

Traore is appealing the decision of the Belgian court granting full custody to her former partner, said her lawyer.

Away from music, Traore is known for her work for refugees and was made a UN ambassador for refugees in 2016.

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