A Milan court has ordered
journalist
Giulia Cortese to pay Italian Prime Minister
Giorgia Meloni
5,000 euros ($5,465) in
damages
for mocking her in a social media post, according to news agency ANSA and other local media. Cortese also received a suspended fine of 1,200 euros for a tweet in October 2021 that was deemed "
body shaming
" due to comments about Meloni's
height
.
The legal action stemmed from a social media clash between Meloni, who was then leading the
Brothers of Italy
party in opposition, and Cortese. The journalist had posted a doctored image of Meloni with a picture of the late fascist leader Benito Mussolini in the background. In response, Cortese tweeted, "You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall. I can't even see you."
Meloni's height is listed as between 1.58 m and 1.63 m on various media websites.
Cortese has the option to appeal the sentence. Meloni's lawyer stated that any damages awarded to the prime minister would be donated to charity.
Reporters Without Borders highlighted the high number of lawsuits against journalists in Italy, dropping the country to 46th place in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
Meloni is known for taking legal action against journalists. Last year, a Rome court fined author Roberto Saviano 1,000 euros plus legal expenses after he insulted her on television in 2021 over her hardline stance on illegal immigration.
In May, journalists at Italian state broadcaster RAI went on strike to protest what they described as "suffocating control" by Meloni's government.
With inputs from agencies
English (US) ·