ROME — A Milan court has ordered journalist Giulia Cortese to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni €5,000 (S$7,314.50) in damages for a social media post mocking her, according to news agency ANSA and local media. Additionally, Cortese received a suspended €1,200 fine for a Twitter comment deemed "body shaming" concerning Meloni's height. Cortese reacted to the ruling on X (formerly Twitter), stating: "Italy's government has a serious problem with freedom of expression and journalistic dissent."

The legal dispute began after Meloni and Cortese clashed online in October 2021. Meloni, then in opposition with her far-right Brothers of Italy party, objected to a doctored photo shared by Cortese that featured Meloni alongside an image of Benito Mussolini. Cortese’s subsequent tweets included a comment that translated to "you don’t scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you’re only 1.2 meters tall. I can’t even see you."

Meloni’s height is listed between 1.58 and 1.63 meters on various media sites. Cortese has the option to appeal the sentence. Meloni’s lawyer stated that any damages awarded would be donated to charity. In a post on X, Cortese highlighted the challenging climate for independent journalists in Italy and expressed hope for better conditions in the future.

Italy’s press freedom has been criticized this year, with Reporters Without Borders dropping it to 46th place in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index due to a high number of journalist lawsuits. Meloni has previously taken legal action against journalists, including a 2023 case against author Roberto Saviano for insulting her stance on illegal immigration.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.