The legal dispute originated from an online exchange between the two women after Cortese shared a manipulated image of Georgia Meloni with a picture of Benito Mussolini in the background. Meloni, whose far-right Brothers of Italy party was in opposition at the time, took offence.
New Delhi: Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni has won a defamation case against journalist Giulia Cortese. The Italian court ordered Cortese to pay €5,000 in damages and a suspended fine of €1,200. The ruling came after Cortese made a tweet in October 2021 that mocked Meloni's height, which was deemed body-shaming.
Social media spat turns into a legal dispute
The legal dispute originated from an online exchange between the two women, after Cortese shared a manipulated image of Meloni with a picture of Benito Mussolini in the background, Meloni, whose far-right Brothers of Italy party was in opposition at the time, took offense . Cortese retaliated with additional tweets, including one that said, “You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall. I can't even see you.”
According to various media sources, Meloni's actual height is reportedly between 1.58 and 1.63 meters.
🇮🇹ITALIAN JOURNALIST FINED FOR MOCKING PM'S HEIGHT
An Italian journalist has been ordered to pay Giorgia Meloni €5,000 after a court found her comments offensive and damaging to her public image.
Meloni brought the case to emphasize the importance of maintaining dignity in… pic.twitter.com/qzmNpxMzvK
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 18, 2024
Meloni's lawsuit sparks free speech debate
Cortese has the option to appeal the court's decision, and Meloni's lawyer has stated that the prime minister will donate any awarded damages to charity. This case contributes to a concerning trend, as Reporters Without Borders recently reported a significant number of lawsuits against journalists in Italy, resulting in a five-place drop to 46th in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index. Meloni has a history of taking legal action against journalists, having previously secured a conviction against author Roberto Saviano, who was fined €1,000 plus legal fees for insulting her on TV in 2021 over her strict stance on illegal immigration.
In May, journalists at Italy's public broadcaster RAI staged a strike to protest the “strangulating grip” of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government on their reporting, citing excessive interference and censorship.
