Ligue 1 player apologizes after arrest for public masturbation

Angers midfielder Farid El Melali issued an apology after he was arrested earlier this week and charged with public masturbation.

The Algerian was seen Monday by neighbors "masturbating in the courtyard at his residence while looking at a woman living in a flat on the ground floor," according to Jonathan Johnson of ESPN.

El Melali, 23, is due to appear in court this summer. He could face up to one year in prison.

"These last few days have been very hard - mentally and physically," El Melali wrote on Instagram, as translated by ESPN. "Coping with criticism and judgment is tough. I understand that those who received the information cannot tolerate such behavior.

"I want to apologize to my family, my friends and the fans of my dear club Angers, as well as my fellow Algerians.

"Everything that happened has affected me, but it has also made me stronger and more aware of the values and principles that I must uphold. Thank you to everybody who has stuck with me during this rough time."

This is the second time El Melali has been arrested for indecent exposure, ESPN reports. His lawyer, Sandra Chirac Kollarik, defended him by saying he was "not targeting anyone, nor was he aggressive."

Angers said the incident had been noted, adding that they would "wait for the decision" from authorities.