Italian journalist asked to pay 5000 euros for 'bodyshaming' Meloni

A Milan court has ordered a journalist to pay Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni damages of 5,000 euros ($5,465) for making fun of her in a social media post, news agency ANSA and other local media reported.

The journalist, Giulia Cortese, was also given a suspended fine of 1,200 euros for a jibe on Twitter, now named X, in Oct. 2021 about Meloni's height, which was defined as "body shaming".

In a response to a Reuters story on the verdict, Cortese wrote on X on Thursday: "Italy's government has a serious problem with freedom of expression and journalistic dissent."