Junts Jumps on the Train of Populism with the Dani Alves Case

The Vice President and Spokesperson of Junts, Josep Rius, has described the acquittal of Dani Alves by the TSJC as a "setback." As is known, the former Barça player was acquitted last Friday of the conviction for sexual assault on a young woman in a nightclub in Barcelona. The TSJC's decision overturned the sentence that had sentenced him to four and a half years in prison in 2023.

According to Rius, this judicial ruling could have negative consequences in the fight against sexual violence. The spokesperson stated that sentences like this can "discourage" future victims from reporting similar situations. This type of resolution, Rius concluded, goes against the progress made in the protection of women and gender equality.

For Junts, therefore, the fact that the complainant's testimony has been questioned by the judicial authority is an alarming sign. "What is undeniable is that there is a problem between the legislator's will and the sentences that later come out of the judiciary," Rius pointed out.

The High Court of Justice of Catalonia (TSJC) justified its ruling on the lack of reliability of the young woman's testimony. The fact is that there were inconsistencies in her account. Additionally, the judges pointed out that there was not enough evidence linking the accused to the reported sexual assault. This sentence has caused an intense debate in politics and society, especially in left-wing sectors, even criticizing the presumption of innocence.

Politics against the Presumption of Innocence

Other political leaders, such as the Vice President of the Government, María Jesús Montero, have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the ruling. Montero labeled the sentence as a "shame" and showed her support for the victim. "The testimony of women is ahead of the presumption of innocence," Vice President Montero said at a PSOE event.

In a very similar line, Irene Montero expressed herself. According to the former minister, the acquittal is a "political problem." The leader of Podemos described it as concerning that "Judges believe they can be above the law, in an open war against women's right to sexual freedom." In this case, it is worth noting that three of the four judges who acquitted Alves were women.