Élsio Manau, the 30-year-old Quarteira artist who had been charged with abuse of the Portuguese flag after hanging the flag on gallows in an abandoned field near Faro as part of a university project, was absolved by Faro Court on Monday (July 7).
Manau said he was expecting the verdict and criticised the money spent with this type of trials, but admitted he was happy that the case led to debates about the state of the country and freedom of speech.
