In October last year, a Rome court fined anti-mafia reporter Roberto Saviano €1,000 after he insulted Meloni’s attitude toward migrants on a television show.
Wait, what?
Saviano, who reached worldwide fame with his first book, Gomorrah, and who has established himself as one of the most prominent left-wing intellectuals in Italy, was taken to court by Meloni after calling her “a bastard” over her controversial immigration policies. S
Maybe not the best style but clearly in the context of criticizing her shite politics.
However, worse than the fine is that he apparently lost his spot on TV too.
I think it’s fairly common to have some degree of anti-insult laws. However, “bastard” is a pretty mild insult and there’s additional context.
In Germany, there’s Beamtenbeleidigung i.e. insult of a representative of state, like police. But that wouldn’t apply to Meloni as head of state anyway, afaik, it only applies to career officials rather than elected officials.
In Germany, there’s Beamtenbeleidigung i.e. insult of a representative of state, like police.
“Beamtenbeleidigung” does actually not exist in Germany, that’s a misconception. It’s just as illegal insulting a police officer as it is insulting almost anybody else.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beamtenbeleidigung
It’s probably just more common for officials to take enough offense to actually file a report.
Plus “Beamtenbeleidung” is such a common misconcpetion, that officials probably believe it actually is a real thing.
Wait, what?
Maybe not the best style but clearly in the context of criticizing her shite politics.
However, worse than the fine is that he apparently lost his spot on TV too.
Right-wingers can dish out, but not take it.
Roberto is just following a long standing Italian tradition of insults
https://www.vroma.org/vromans/hwalker/VRomaCatullus/043.html
It’s a pretty common law worldwide that you can’t ouright insult people.
Is it?
I think it’s fairly common to have some degree of anti-insult laws. However, “bastard” is a pretty mild insult and there’s additional context.
In Germany, there’s Beamtenbeleidigung i.e. insult of a representative of state, like police. But that wouldn’t apply to Meloni as head of state anyway, afaik, it only applies to career officials rather than elected officials.
“Beamtenbeleidigung” does actually not exist in Germany, that’s a misconception. It’s just as illegal insulting a police officer as it is insulting almost anybody else. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beamtenbeleidigung
TIL! Thanks.
So prosecutors just treat cases of insulted officials differently than when someone from the hoi polloi is being insulted!?
It’s probably just more common for officials to take enough offense to actually file a report.
Plus “Beamtenbeleidung” is such a common misconcpetion, that officials probably believe it actually is a real thing.