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Former Brazil footballer Dani Alves on Thursday checked in at a Barcelona court for his mandated weekly visit, accompanied by his lawyer Inés Guardiola.
Alves, who spent about 10 minutes in court on Thursday and did not address media waiting outside the courthouse, had been released from prison on Monday after making the €1 million ($1.08m) bail payment required while he awaits the result of an appeal to his rape conviction.
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Alves wore a brown jacket over shirt, pants and shoes that were all white and upon exiting the courthouse, walked the few metres to a car waiting curbside. He is required to come to the court every Friday, and any other time when ordered to do so.
Alves last month was found guilty of raping a woman in a nightclub in December 2022 and sentenced to four years, six months in prison. He denied wrongdoing during the three-day trial.
The former Barcelona player on Monday handed over his Spanish and Brazilian passports, with prosecutors having argued against releasing him on bail because of a possible flight risk.
Alves spent the last 14 months in the Brians II prison located 45 minutes from Barcelona, since he was detained preventively by authorities investigating the rape accusation against him.
He is not allowed to leave Spain and is prohibited from approaching or communicating with the victim.
Spain’s state prosecutors’ office in Barcelona have asked the court to reconsider bail, saying they believed the risk of Alves fleeing increased after he was found guilty. They wanted Alves to remain jailed while awaiting his appeal. Brazil does not extradite its citizens when they are sentenced in other countries.
No date has been set for the appeals trial at a higher court in Barcelona. After that, the case could go to the Spanish supreme court in Madrid. Alves’ lawyers are seeking his acquittal while prosecutors want his prison sentence increased to nine years. The victim’s lawyer wants him jailed for 12 years.
Information from The Associated Press and EFE news agency was used in this report.