Brazilian Footballer Dani Alves Leaves Spain Jail After Posting Bail

The former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves was released from a Barcelona prison on Monday after posting bail over his rape conviction of a young woman in the VIP bathroom of a Barcelona nightclub in the early hours of 31 December 2022.

In a disbelief move last week, a Barcelona court approved to his appeal for a temporary release while his appeal against his conviction was heard, on the condition that he posted bail of $1.08 million, giving over his Spanish and Brazilian passports, staying in Spain and presenting himself to court every week.

Alves’ lawyers are requesting his acquittal, and the appeal procedure could take months to conclude.

Prosecutors, conversely, propose his prison sentence multiplied to nine years.

The Prosecutors plus the victim’s lawyer Ester Garcia have appealed the judgment to grant Alves bail.

“This sends the message that this is justice for the rich, and even if there is a conviction, if you pay bail there are no criminal consequences,” she told the reporters last week.

“It’s a very dangerous message for society,” she added, saying her client was “totally outraged, very despondent and very frustrated”, she added.