French journalist Sebastien Farcis leaves India, claims MHA revoked work permit

New Delhi: French journalist Sebastien Farcis on Thursday claimed that he was "forced to leave" India after the Union Home Ministry refused to renew his permit.

"After 13 years working as a correspondent in India, the authorities have denied me a permit to work as a journalist. I have thus been forced to leave the country," Fracis said on 'X'.

After 13 years working as a correspondent in India, the authorities have denied me a permit to work as a journalist. I have thus been forced to leave the country.
Here is my statement. pic.twitter.com/m52Q4ABsRk

— Sébastien Farcis (@sebfarcis) June 20, 2024

Farcis was the South Asia correspondent for Radio France Internationale, Radio France, Libération and the Swiss and Belgian public radios.

"On June 17, I was forced to leave India, a country where I had lived and worked as a journalist for 13 years, as a South Asia correspondent for Radio France Internationale, Radio France, Liberation and the Swiss and Belgian public radios," Farcis said in a post on 'X' on Thursday.

In February, French journalist Vanessa Dougnac left India after the government revoked her Overseas Citizen of India card. Farcis said he had been working in India as a journalist since 2011 and had obtained all the necessary visas and accreditations.

"I have... never worked in restricted or protected areas without a permit. On several occasions, the MHA even granted me permits to report from border areas," he said in a statement posted on X.