ATHENS, GREECE: A Greek court acquitted the director of an art show on charges of obscenity and an attack on national symbols, citing freedom of expression, Greek newspapers reported Friday (December 14th).

A video showing a woman masturbating to the Greek national anthem by Greek-American Eva Stefani was displayed at the Art Athina contemporary art show in Athens last June.

After a visitor reported the video to police, Art Athina director Michalis Argyros was arrested and charged.

He spent the night behind bars, provoking outcry from local artists, who mobilised to defend him.

At the trial held Thursday, the court ruled against the prosecutor, who had argued the video made no sense and that "Nudity is a work of art only in Renaissance paintings," the daily Eleftherotypia reported.

Works of art that slight religion or national symbols are actively pursued in Greece by followers of the Greek Orthodox Church and extreme right-wing political parties.