Prosecutors Set to Appeal Dani Alves’ Acquittal Amidst Widespread Protests in Barcelona

On Wednesday, Spanish prosecutors announced their intention to challenge a court decision that quashed the rape conviction of former Brazilian international footballer Dani Alves, a ruling that has faced considerable backlash from both government officials and women’s advocacy groups.

Alves, who enjoyed three Champions League victories with Barcelona, was found guilty last year of raping a young woman in the VIP restroom of a Barcelona nightclub in 2022, resulting in a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

However, an appeals court in Barcelona overturned this verdict last Friday, citing inconsistencies and contradictions during Alves’ trial, as well as a lack of sufficient evidence to establish his guilt.

The court highlighted that the accuser was regarded as an “unreliable complainant”, noting that her testimony “differed significantly” from what was recorded on video prior to her and Alves entering the restroom, where it was alleged that he forced her to engage in non-consensual sex.

The public prosecutor’s office in Catalonia released a statement indicating their plan to file an appeal against the ruling, although further details were not provided.

On Monday, hundreds gathered in Barcelona to protest the appeals court’s decision, led by feminist groups. Many demonstrators carried placards labelling the court’s ruling as “unacceptable” and demanding that it be overturned.

Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero expressed her disappointment on Saturday, stating it was a “shame” that a rape victim’s testimony “is still being questioned” and that the “presumption of innocence is prioritised over the accounts of courageous young women”.

Montero later clarified her comments, emphasising that she did not intend to undermine the presumption of innocence but maintained that the appeals court’s annulment of Alves’ conviction represented “a step backwards”.

Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who identifies as a feminist, has prioritised efforts against sexual violence. Under his minority government, Spain reformed its criminal code in 2022 to categorically define all non-consensual sexual acts as rape, following a high-profile case involving an 18-year-old woman who was gang-raped by five men during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona.

At 41, Alves has been in custody since his arrest in January 2023, remaining incarcerated until March 2024, when he was released pending his appeal after paying the court-mandated bail of one million euros (£853,000).