Spanish Prosecutors to Appeal Overturned Ruling in Dani Alves Rape Case

Spanish prosecutors announced on Wednesday their intention to appeal the recent court decision that overturned the rape conviction of former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves. The ruling by Barcelona’s appeals court sparked public outrage and political criticism, including a mass protest in the city organized by feminist groups.

Alves had been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a young woman in the VIP bathroom of a Barcelona nightclub in 2022. But the appellate court ruled last Friday that there were inconsistencies in the trial and insufficient evidence to confirm his guilt. The court labeled the accuser an "unreliable witness," stating that her account significantly differed from video footage taken prior to the alleged incident, according to AFP.

The prosecutor’s office in Catalonia confirmed it would file an appeal, although it did not specify on what legal grounds. The ruling has drawn fierce criticism from women’s rights advocates and prompted political reactions. Deputy Prime Minister María Jesús Montero initially described the decision as “shameful” for questioning the victim’s testimony but later clarified she did not mean to undermine the presumption of innocence.

President Pedro Sánchez, a self-declared feminist, has prioritized combating sexual violence. His government reformed Spain’s criminal code in 2022 to redefine all non-consensual sex acts as rape.