Body shaming vs freedom of speech! Court orders journalist to pay damages for publishing cartoon of Italian PM Giorgia Meloni
body shaming and freedom of speech to the fore, a Milan court has ordered a journalist to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni damages of EUR 5,000 or $5,465 for making fun of her height in a social media post. It also awarded Giulia Cortese a suspended fine of EUR 1,200 for a jibe on Twitter, now known as X, reports Reuters.
Giorgia Meloni compared to Benito Mussolini The controversy began in 2021 when Cortese published a mocked-up photo of Giorgia Meloni with a picture of the late fascist leader Benito Mussolini in the background. In the following tweet, the journalist wrote, «You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall. I can't even see you.» The Italian prime minister launched legal action against the journalist after she clashed with her on social media.
Freedom of speech in Italy
Reacting to the verdict, Guilia has raised the issue of freedom of speech in a democratic country like Italy. She wrote on X, «Italy's government has a serious problem with freedom of expression and journalistic dissent.»
Italy is 46th on World Press Freedom Index
Reporters Without Borders has said in a report that a large number of lawsuits have been brought against journalists. With this, Italy slipped five places to 46th in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
Reuters has reported that Guilia is not the only journalist to be targeted by Georgia Meloni. A Rome court fined best-selling author Roberto Saviano EUR 1,000 and legal expenses after he insulted Meloni on television in 2021
