Former Brazil and Barcelona footballer Dani Alves, who was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for rape last month, has pleaded to be released from prison pending his final sentence. The request was made during a hearing at Brians 2 Prison near Barcelona, where he has been held since January last year.
Alves, 40, appeared via video link from prison and assured the court that he plans to see the case through to the end because he "believes in justice." His request for provisional release has been opposed by the prosecutor's office in Spain, citing a flight risk due to Alves' wealth and the severity of the penalty imposed.
The footballer plans to appeal the sentence he received last month, which stemmed from allegations of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. Alves has denied the charges, claiming the encounter was consensual.
The court is expected to make a decision shortly on whether to release Alves until his final sentence is confirmed.
Alves, one of the most decorated footballers in history, was ordered to pay £128,000 (€150,000) in damages to his victim and was also given a five-year parole and a nine-and-a-half year restraining order preventing him from contacting her.
Despite the conviction, Alves' lawyer has stated that they believe in his innocence and intend to appeal the sentence. Alves was sacked by Mexican side UNAM Pumas following his arrest in Barcelona last year, where he had flown to attend his mother-in-law's funeral.
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