Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng said Meta suspended her Instagram and Facebook accounts shortly after her widely circulated question to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about why he does not take questions from what she called “the world’s freest press”.
The controversy escalated during a subsequent MEA briefing, where Lyng repeatedly challenged India’s credibility and asked, “Why should we trust you?”.
It prompted Secretary (West) Sibi George to defend India’s democratic institutions and remark, “This is my press conference.”
Norwegian Journalist Claims Meta Suspended Her Accounts Days After Questioning Modi on Press Freedom
Lyng suggested the suspension may be linked to the exchange, writing on X that losing access to her accounts was “a small price to pay for press freedom” and expressing hope that the accounts would be restored.
Summary
Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng on Wednesday claimed that Meta had suspended her Instagram and Facebook accounts, just days after she questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Norway.
Lyng, a reporter with the Oslo-based newspaper Dagsavisen, shared screenshots on X showing that both of her social media accounts had been deactivated. She suggested the suspension came shortly after her widely shared exchange with Modi, which centred on press freedom.
“Throughout all day I have struggled to log onto my Instagram account. Now I have been suspended. It is a small price to pay for press freedom, but I’ve never experienced it before,” Lyng wrote on X.
In a separate post, she added: “If you’re trying to reach me on Instagram or Facebook, I would like to let you know I have been suspended from both accounts. I have wanted to respond to as many Indians as possible, but my responses will now be delayed. I hope I will get my accounts back.”
The controversy stems from a joint press conference held in Oslo on Monday by Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. In a video that circulated widely online, Lyng asked Modi why he does not take questions from what she described as “the world’s freest press”.
Following the exchange, Lyng defended her actions on X, arguing that questioning political leaders is a fundamental responsibility of journalists.
The matter later resurfaced during a media briefing conducted by Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George. During the interaction, Lyng repeatedly challenged India’s credibility and at one point asked, “Why should we trust you?”
George responded by defending India’s democratic institutions, constitutional framework and electoral system. He said the country guarantees fundamental rights and pointed to India’s long history of democratic participation, including women’s voting rights.
“We believe in equality, we believe in human rights. And what is the best example of human rights? The right to change government, the right to vote,” George said during the briefing.
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The exchange grew increasingly tense, with George at one stage asserting control over the interaction by telling the journalist, “This is my press conference.”
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