“It is a small prize to pay for press freedom, but I’ve never experienced it before,” wrote Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng on X while posting the screenshot of her Instagram account’s suspension notice on May 19.
No explanation from Meta: “Would someone explain to how I got suspended of Instagram and Facebook? I am trying to understand if It was because of the two-step verification being misused by others than me or if there was something else. Also does anyone have advice on how I can secure my accounts if I get it back?” she asked on X. However, we couldn’t locate the URL of her Facebook account.
While the exact reasons for Lyng’s account suspension remain unclear, this reflects a broader pattern of censorship that India has increasingly witnessed at both the central and state levels. A detailed compilation of recent censorship incidents is included at the end of this article.
What Happened?
What happened at MEA’s press conference: Helle Lyng asked the following questions: “As we strengthen our partnership, why should we trust you? Can you promise that you will try to stop the human rights violations that go on in your country? And also, will the prime minister start taking critical questions from the Indian press at some point in the future? If possible, I would like you to answer straight away.”
Sibi George, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), did not directly address either question. Instead, he spoke at length about issues unrelated to the journalist’s queries.
When the journalist urged the spokesperson to address the specific questions, George responded: “No. When to answer, where to answer, and how to answer are my prerogatives. You asked a question; don’t tell me how to answer it. Let me answer.”
He still did not directly address the questions.
The Norwegian journalist appeared to leave the press conference midway as the MEA spokesperson continued avoiding direct answers, and later she rejoined the press briefing.
Points cited by the MEA spokesperson on why India should be trusted
On human rights violations: The spokesperson referred to India’s Constitution, calling it a guarantor of fundamental rights. He also cited equal voting rights for women since 1947 and the right of citizens to approach courts if their rights are violated. However, he did not respond to any specific allegations of human rights violations.
You can watch the Sibi George’s interaction with the Norwegian journalist on Brut’s Youtube Channel: [Link]
Norway Journalist’s response after the press briefing: “My colleague and I asked questions tonight both on why we should trust India given the human violations rights, and also about the visit. I tried multiple times to get them to be specific on human rights, but I was unsuccessful. The representatives talked about India’s effort during Covid & also yoga, among other things. My colleague has the videos so I will try to publish tomorrow,” she posted on X after the press briefing.
— Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) May 18, 2026My colleague and I asked questions tonight both on why we should trust India given the human violations rights, and also about the visit.
I tried multiple times to get them to be specific on human rights, but I was unsuccessful. The representatives talked about India’s effort…
Expected outcomes of PM Modi’s visit to Norway: As per Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) press release, Modi’s visit to Norway is expected to result in doubling bilateral trade by 2030 and target cross-sector partnerships with $100 billion investment and 1 million jobs in India under Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA). They also agreed to cooperate across ocean-based industries including AI, robotics, green shipping, shipbuilding, fisheries and space. Norway PM reiterated his support for India’s permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Also read MediaNama’s coverage of recent online censorship:
For You
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