The video of Norwegian ‘journalist’ Helle Laing rudely asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take questions “from the freest press in the world” as he walked out of a joint event with the Norwegian Prime Minister on Monday, led to a series of reactions, including a sharp response by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to queries raised about “trust” and a series of online statements by the writer – which she paused with her latest update that her WhatsApp and Facebook accounts had been suspended.
It all started with a joint press statement by Prime Minister Modi and his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Jahr Støre in Oslo, Norway on Monday.
Ling, who identified herself as a journalist with Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen, shared a video of Prime Minister Modi, in which a woman’s voice can be heard asking the Prime Minister why he is not taking questions from “the freest press in the world.”
She said in the post in which she shared the video: “Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not answer my question. I did not expect him to do so.” The journalist wrote with the video: “Norway ranks first in the World Press Freedom Index, and India ranks 157th, competing with Palestine, the UAE and Cuba. Our mission is to question the powers with which we cooperate.”
The journalist says Insta and Facebook are on hold
After a day full of reactions and statements over PM Modi’s video, Helly Ling posted on her
“If you are trying to contact me on Instagram or Facebook, I would like to let you know that I have been suspended from both accounts. I wanted to respond to as many Indians as possible, but my responses will be delayed now. I hope I get my accounts back,” Ling said on X.
It is not known why her Meta accounts were suspended, but she vaguely referred to it as “a small prize to pay for freedom of the press.”
“All day, I struggled to log into my Instagram account. And now I’ve been suspended. It’s a small prize to pay for freedom of the press, but I’ve never experienced it before,” she said in another X post.
A screenshot of her Instagram account after the comment uploaded a message in Norwegian, which loosely translated to: We’ve suspended your account, Heling. You have 180 days left to appeal the decision, otherwise your account will be permanently suspended. It was suspended on May 19, 2026
What does this mean? Your account is not visible to others on Instagram at this time, and you cannot use it.
What you can do – You have 180 days to appeal our decision.
We may need to ask you for some information that will help us review your account again.
You can access a copy of what you’ve shared on Instagram. Download a copy.
Ling’s confrontation with Middle East Airlines
Prime Minister Modi’s press post as he exited the press conference – which sparked mixed reactions – was also leaked to a MEA journalist during the Prime Minister’s visit later, during which Indian officials faced questions about “trust” and “human rights” from her and gave a detailed response.
Ling asked at the press conference held by the Middle East Airlines: “Why should we trust you?” adding, “Can you promise that you will stop the human rights violations that occur in your country?”
She also wondered whether the Prime Minister “will start taking critical questions from the Indian press.”
In response, Middle East Affairs (West) Minister Sibi George gave a summary of ‘What is India’.
While the journalist was looking for a “direct answer”, Sibi George gave a detailed response for several minutes on India’s history and constitution, also saying: “We hear a lot of people asking ‘why this, why this’, but let me tell you this: We are one-sixth of the world’s total population, but we are not one-sixth of the world’s problems. We have a constitution that guarantees the fundamental rights of the people.”
Concluding his response, Sebi George said: “If anyone’s rights are violated, they have the right to go to court. We are proud to be a democracy.”
Laing’s first post about PM Modi not taking questions was also followed by a series of posts in one of which she clarified that she was “not a spy”.
“I never thought I would have to write this, but I am not a foreign spy of any kind, sent by any foreign government. My job is journalism, especially in Norway now,” she said.
In a separate post, Ling said the press is “confrontational at times.”
“We are seeking answers,” she said. “If anyone I interview, especially one with authority, does not answer what I ask, I will try to interrupt and get a more focused response. This is my job and my duty. I want answers, not just talking points.”
