A court in Barcelona ruled on Wednesday to grant conditional release to Brazilian footballer Dani Alves on bail set at one million euros ($1.08 million), despite him serving only a quarter of his four-and-a-half-year sentence for rape.
The decision, which can still be appealed, was not made unanimously.
Dani Alves, the former Barcelona and Brazil defender, has been embroiled in a legal case in Spain after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December. Alves, who has consistently denied the allegations, claims the encounter was consensual. He was arrested in January 2023 and has been held in pre-trial detention without bail. The case has drawn significant attention, partly due to Alves’ high profile as a footballer. His trial process has been marked by debates over the evidence and testimonies, with the prosecution pushing for a sentence of four to 15 years if he is found guilty.
The controversy around the case has been heightened by the release of the victim’s personal information, leading to concerns about her privacy and the potential impact on her credibility. This aspect of the case has become a significant point of contention, leading to further investigation by the Barcelona court
