Former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves will be released from jail while he appeals his conviction by posting bail of one million euros ($1.08 million), according to a Barcelona court on Wednesday.
This decision comes after his lawyer requested his release, citing that he had already spent a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023.
The court’s ruling grants him “provisional release” on the condition that he pays the bail of 1,000,000 euros, surrenders his Spanish and Brazilian passports, stays in Spain, and appears in court on a weekly basis.
The public prosecutors had objected to his release, claiming that he was a high-flight risk.
Dani Alves, a highly accomplished football player who has played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, was convicted on February 22 for assaulting a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022.
His legal team quickly filed an appeal against the verdict.
The victim, who testified anonymously, stated that Alves forcefully engaged in sexual activity with her in a private bathroom at the nightclub despite her pleas to stop, causing her great distress and fear, according to prosecutors.
Alves’ defense claimed that the victim was closely interacting with the player while dancing at the nightclub, suggesting there was a mutual attraction between them.
However, the court, in a 61-page ruling, clarified that this did not imply the victim consented to any subsequent actions that took place.
