Brazilian Dani Alves: Acquitted After a Two-and-a-Half-Year Legal Battle
March 29, 2025, 11:54 am

Brazilian Dani Alves: Acquitted After a Two-and-a-Half-Year Legal Battle

داني ألفيش

After nearly two and a half years of suffering through courts and jails and losing almost everything, Brazilian Dani Alves, the former Barcelona star, has been acquitted after being accused by a young woman of rape in a nightclub in 2022.

The Barcelona Court of Appeals annulled the prison sentence of four and a half years that was imposed on Alves for rape, announcing the decision on Friday. The court's statement indicated that the conviction issued in February 2024 was marred by a series of deficiencies, inaccuracies, and contradictions regarding the facts and legal assessments.

As a result, the four judges unanimously decided to accept the appeal filed by Alves's defense team, citing insufficient evidence to prove his guilt. However, the court's decision remains subject to appeal before the Supreme Court.

The court also rejected the appeal made by the public prosecutor's office, which requested an increase in Alves's sentence to nine years in prison.

In a statement regarding the ruling, Alves's attorney, Ines Guardiola, expressed her happiness, saying, "We are very happy. He is innocent, and that has been proven. Justice has spoken."

On the other hand, the victim's lawyer, Esther Garcia, expressed regret over the outcome, explaining that her client felt as if she had returned to those painful moments. She affirmed that they would appeal the decision while considering her client's psychological state.

On February 22, 2024, Alves was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and ordered to pay €150,000 in compensation. He also faced restrictions, including five years of parole and a ban on approaching the victim for nine and a half years. With the annulment of his conviction, all of these measures were lifted.

Alves, who is 41 years old, was released from prison in March 2024 after posting a bail of €1 million, which took him five days to raise. Afterward, he used a popular application to organize matches so he could return to playing football.

Alves, one of the most decorated players in the world, had been sentenced to prison for allegedly raping a young woman in a bathroom at a Barcelona nightclub in the early hours of December 31, 2022. He was arrested in January 2023, and his bail requests were repeatedly denied on the basis that he might flee, as Brazil is not obligated to extradite its citizens.

Throughout his professional career, Alves has represented Brazil in 126 international matches, winning the Copa América twice and claiming a gold medal at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he became the oldest Brazilian player to participate in the finals at age 39.

Cancellation of Security Clearances for President Biden and Prominent Figures in the Previous Administration U.S. Warning: Do Not Travel to Syria During the Holiday

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”