Norwegian journalist, who questioned PM Modi, got suspended from Facebook and Instagram

Helle Lyng, the Norwegian journalist who grabbed headlines for questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Norway, has claimed that her Facebook and Instagram accounts have been suspended.

Lyng shared the update herself in a post on X.

“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,” she wrote while tagging Meta.


The journalist said she was unaware of the reason behind the suspension. “Would someone explain to me how I got suspended from Instagram and Facebook? I am trying to understand if it was because of the two-step verification being misused by others or if there was something else. Also, does anyone have advice on how I can secure my accounts if I get them back?” she posted.



Lyng had earlier gone viral after asking PM Modi why he was not taking “questions from the freest press in the world.”

Later, she shared footage of the interaction on X and wrote, “Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to. Norway has the number one spot on the World Press Freedom Index, India is at 157th, competing with Palestine, the Emirates & Cuba. It is our job to question the powers we cooperate with.”

The Indian Embassy in Norway later responded to her post and invited her to attend a press briefing on PM Modi’s visit. The embassy wrote, “The Embassy is organizing a press briefing on the Prime Minister’s visit this evening at 9:30 pm at Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. You are most welcome to come and ask your questions there.”

At the briefing, Lyng asked, “Why should we trust you? Can you promise you will stop the human rights violations taking place in your country? Will the Prime Minister start taking critical questions from the Indian press?”

Responding to her remarks, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George spoke about India’s democratic framework and constitutional values. During the exchange, George appeared visibly upset and said, “Please don’t interrupt me.”

He further added, “We hear a lot of people asking why this, why that, but let me tell you this. We are one-sixth of the total population of the world, but not one-sixth of the problems of the world. We have a Constitution which guarantees the fundamental rights of the people. We have equal rights for the women of our country, which is very important.”