A Barcelona court announced on Wednesday that former Brazil international footballer, Dani Alves, will be released from jail pending an appeal against his rape conviction, provided he posts bail of 1 million euros ($1.08 million). This decision came a day after Alves’ lawyer requested his release, citing his quarter of the four-and-a-half-year sentence already served in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023.
The court granted Alves “provisional release” under certain conditions, including paying his bail and surrendering his Spanish and Brazilian passports. He is also required to remain in Spain and present himself to the court weekly. The court approved his release despite opposition from public prosecutors who argued he posed a high flight risk.
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Alves, one of the world’s most decorated footballers who played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, was sentenced on February 22 for raping a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. His legal team promptly appealed the conviction.
During the trial, the victim testified behind a screen to protect her identity, recounting how Alves had forcibly engaged in sexual activity despite her pleas for him to stop, causing her “anguish and terror,” according to prosecutors.
While Alves’ lawyers argued that there was “sexual tension” between the victim and the player, the court emphasized that this did not imply consent to the subsequent events, as stated in its 61-page ruling.
