Dani Alves Seeks Release On Bail Following His Rape Case

Former Barcelona, Sevilla, and_ Brazil defender Dani Alves have stated that he has no intention of fleeing the country if granted bail during the appeal process of his rape conviction.

Alves, who received a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for rape, has already paid €150k in damages to the victim, been placed on nine years of probation, and_ received a 12-year restraining order from the victim. The judge considered his payment of damages as a mitigating factor, leading to a reduction in his initial sentence.

The public prosecutor, the victim, and_ the defence have all lodged appeals against the verdict.

The prosecution seeks an increase in the sentence to nine years, the victim’s legal team pushes for the maximum penalty of 12 years, and_ the defence seeks to have Alves cleared. A hearing occurred on Tuesday as Alves sought bail, which had been previously denied before the trial, as reported by’ El Pais.

Alves assured the judge, stating, “I believe in justice, and_ I will not run away” if granted bail.

He also mentioned a property he owns in Barcelona and_ affirmed that he has no intention of leaving the country.

His legal team also proposed he post bail of 50,000 euros ($54,000) or hand over his two passports to guarantee he would remain in Spain while his appeal is heard, the sources added.

Alves spent 13 months in custody as a flight risk before the trial due to the absence of an extradition agreement between his home country of Brazil and_ Spain, which could have enabled him to evade justice. Although the appeal process may be lengthy, regulations stipulate that detainees cannot spend more than half of their sentence in pretrial detention.

The trial itself lasted 13 months, and_ Alves has already served 14 months in prison. Therefore, the maximum duration Alves could remain incarcerated before the appeal is resolved is 27 months.