Saying someone is ‘pro-homosexuals’ and a ‘fan of homosexuality’ is now a crime in Italy.

The Corte di Cassazione (one of the Italian High Courts) has ruled that a lawyer who was branded as ‘filo-omosessuale’ (pro-homosexuals) can demand compensation.

The lawyer from Verona, in the northern region of Veneto, was ‘insulted’ by a Catholic association after having spoken at a local event promoting same-sex couples’ rights.

According to the Supreme Court, his ‘right to personal identity has been compromised.’ So, now, the association has to pay €5,000 ($6,600) in compensation.

The lawyer must be compensated also because ‘his political activity has been threatened by the association’s insults.’

A recent sentence by the same court had also ruled out that the practice of outing (revealing someone else’s homosexuality) could be a crime, ‘sometimes’.

Italian LGBT associations did not comment on the sentence.