In a significant legal development, the Catalan High Court of Justice has overturned the rape conviction of Brazilian footballer Dani Alves. Initially convicted in February 2024 for allegedly assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022, Alves had been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The appellate court's unanimous decision cited insufficient evidence to uphold the conviction, emphasizing inconsistencies in the accuser's testimony and a lack of corroborative evidence. The court concluded that the presumption of innocence had not been adequately rebutted.
Alves, who had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, was released on bail in March 2024 after spending 14 months in custody. His defense attorney, Inés Guardiola, welcomed the ruling, stating that justice had been served.
This case has garnered widespread attention, intersecting with broader discussions on sexual consent laws in Spain. The prosecution retains the option to appeal this latest ruling to the Supreme Court.