Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stands at around 5-foot-3, according to the BBC. Despite this, an Italian journalist recently stirred up a storm by suggesting on social media that Meloni was only 4 feet tall. This lighthearted jab has led to some serious consequences: the journalist, Giulia Cortese, has been hit with a 5,000 euro (about $5,500) fine by an Italian court, as reported by Reuters.
Cortese, who initially thought the court's decision was a bit of an overreach, commented, "It seems absurd to clog up Italian courts, which have to deal with far more serious things, with such nonsense." The tension between Cortese and Meloni traces back to 2021, when Cortese shared a doctored image of Meloni with a framed photo of Mussolini behind her. Although Cortese quickly deleted the post upon realizing it was fake, Meloni was not pleased. She publicly called out Cortese, who retorted on social media, "You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall. I can't even see you."
In a twist that underscores the serious nature of defamation law in Italy, Meloni took Cortese to court. This week, the court ruled that the joke was a form of "body shaming." On top of the hefty fine, Cortese received a suspended sentence and an additional $1,300 fine for another tweet where she used derogatory language to describe Meloni. According to Meloni's lawyer, this decision highlights the stringent nature of Italian defamation laws, which, unlike those in some other countries, do not differentiate between public and private figures.
The New York Times points out that Italian defamation laws are notoriously strict. For example, last year, author Roberto Saviano was fined $1,100 for using a slur in reference to Meloni while discussing her immigration policies. This case further illustrates how Italian courts handle defamation with a heavy hand, aiming to curb what they consider harmful or disrespectful speech.
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