Spain : Football – Dani Alves released from prison
Dani Alves is finally free to move. After over a year of detention, the Barcelona court has decided to release Dani Alves on bail of one million euros pending the final conviction of the former Brazilian football star.
This is a first legal victory for the player’s defense. Sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexual assault in a nightclub on a young woman who was 23 at the time of the incident, Dani Alves had just spent a year in prison in Barcelona. The former Brazilian defender hoped to be released quickly as the Barcelona court reviewed his case in recent days. And the verdict has been announced.
The Spanish justice system has decided on his conditional release, subject to a record bail of one million euros. This is pending the examination of his appeal. He will be able to enjoy freedom once he has paid this amount. His lawyer has already appealed this decision and is demanding the release of the former Barcelona player until the final deliberation.
The continued provisional detention of the retired footballer, pending his appeal trial, « can be avoided in exchange for the payment of a one million euro bail », the court said in a statement, specifying that the justice system would also confiscate his « two passports, Spanish and Brazilian ». Dani Alves (40 years old) will also have to appear before the same court every week.
As a reminder, in addition to the four and a half year sentence, Dani Alves was fined 150.000 euros, placed under five years of probation after his release from prison, and banned from approaching the victim for nine and a half years.
