Rome
Reuters
—
A Milan courtroom has ordered a journalist to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni damages of €5,000 (round $5,400) for making enjoyable of her in a social media publish, information company ANSA and different native media reported.
The journalist, Giulia Cortese, was additionally given a suspended high quality of €1,200 ($1,300) for a jibe on Twitter, now named X, in October 2021 about Meloni’s peak, which was outlined as “physique shaming”.
In a response to a Reuters story on the decision, Cortese wrote on X on Thursday: “Italy’s authorities has a significant issue with freedom of expression and journalistic dissent.”
Meloni had launched authorized motion towards the journalist after the 2 ladies clashed on social media three years in the past.
Meloni, whose far-right Brothers of Italy occasion was in opposition on the time, took exception when Cortese printed a mocked-up photograph of her with an image of the late fascist chief Benito Mussolini within the background.
Cortese responded with additional tweets together with one which interprets as “you don’t scare me, Giorgia Meloni. In any case, you’re only one.2 meters (4 ft) tall. I can’t even see you.”
Meloni’s peak is given as between 1.58 meters (5 ft 2 inches) and 1.63 meters (5 ft 4 inches) on numerous media web sites.
Cortese can enchantment towards the sentence, and Meloni’s lawyer mentioned the prime minister would donate to charity any damages she ultimately receives.
Writing in English on X on Thursday, Cortese mentioned it was a troublesome time for impartial journalists in Italy.
“Let’s hope for higher days forward. We gained’t hand over!” she added.
A excessive variety of lawsuits introduced towards journalists was cited this 12 months by Reporters With out Borders, which relegated Italy 5 locations to forty sixth in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
Meloni isn’t new to taking journalists to courtroom. Final 12 months, a Rome courtroom fined best-selling creator Roberto Saviano €1,000 ($1,088) plus authorized bills after he insulted her on tv in 2021 over her hardline stance on unlawful immigration.
