Norwegian Journalist Blocked From Traveling to Hyderabad After Visa Cancellation

A Norwegian journalist says authorities cancelled her Indian visa at the last minute, stopping her from attending an upcoming conference in Hyderabad. Helle Lyng, who writes for the Oslo newspaper Dagsavisen, shared a video message on Wednesday stating that she received high-level directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs blocking her travel.

Summit Details

Ms. Lyng was scheduled to fly out to participate in the Bharat Summit as a guest speaker on the future of media and press freedom. Her scheduled panel appearance on November 14 included other speakers such as Press Club of India president Sangeeta Baruah Pisharoty and Congress MP Pawan Khera. She pointed to her past interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Norway last May, where she asked him a question about press freedom, as the likely reason for the travel block.

Official Response

While the journalist praised the Indian Embassy in Norway for being helpful during her paperwork process, she placed responsibility squarely on the Home Ministry. The Indian Embassy in Norway has not issued any public statements regarding the incident so far.

Context

Visa cancellations and travel restrictions for foreign journalists involve complex diplomatic protocols and domestic security considerations. Governments occasionally deny entry or revoke permissions for foreign media personnel based on political or diplomatic assessments.