Last updated on August 27th, 2024 at 03:24 pm
Milan Court Orders Journalist to Pay Damages
A Milan court has ordered journalist Giulia Cortese to pay 5,000 euros ($5,465) in damages to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for ridicule posted on social media. She has also been fined a further 1,200 euros, validated in content, for having tweeted in ‘body-nauseating’ terms about Meloni’s body size.
Cortese’s Reaction to the Court Sentencing
In response to the verdict, Cortese hit out at the Italian government’s position on freedom of expression and press dissent. She expressed her fears on X (formerly Twitter), terming the happening as a symptom of deep problems that are shaking independent journalism in Italy.
Background of the Legal Dispute
Meloni opened the action against Cortese, dating from a social media row three years ago when the far-right politician’s Brothers of Italy party was in opposition. Cortese had published a satirical image of Meloni with Benito Mussolini. Further comments on the height of Meloni brought legal repercussions into the whole affair.
Appeal and Charity Donation
Cortese can resort to an appeal. The lawyer for Meloni said that whatever compensation would be won would be spent on charity.
Journalism Challenges in Italy
The Cortese case highlights the prevailing negative experiences of journalists in Italy. Reporters Without Borders recently ranked Italy one place lower in the latest 2024 World Press Freedom Index number 46. The news followed articles about the increasing number of lawsuits against journalists in the country. Meloni also appears to have tussles with journalists and the law and justice arena. A recent one occurred a fortnight back where he sued the author Roberto Saviano.
