A court in Milan has ordered journalist Giulia Cortese to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 5,000 euros (approximately Ksh.713,166) in damages for a social media post that mocked Meloni’s height.
The court also imposed a suspended fine of 1,200 euros on Cortese for a tweet on X in October 2021, which was deemed as “bodyshaming” Meloni.
Meloni initiated legal action against Cortese following their social media clashes. Cortese had posted a photoshopped image of Meloni with a picture of the late fascist leader Benito Mussolini in the background, prompting Meloni’s reaction.
Cortese further tweeted remarks like “you don’t scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you’re only 1.2 metres tall. I can’t even see you.”
Meloni’s height is listed between 1.58 m and 1.63 m in various media sources. Cortese has the option to appeal the court’s decision. Meloni’s lawyer indicated that any damages received would be donated to charity.
Reporters Without Borders highlighted a significant number of lawsuits against journalists in Italy this year, which contributed to the country’s decline to 46th place in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index. Meloni has previously taken legal action against other journalists, including author Roberto Saviano, who was fined last year for insulting her on television regarding her immigration policies.
Earlier this year, journalists at Italian state broadcaster RAI went on strike to protest what they described as excessive government control over their work under Meloni’s administration.
