Alexei Navalny’s wife Yulia’s X social media account briefly suspended

Deceased Russian dissident and politician Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya had her account suspended on Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly Twitter, before being restored.

"Account suspended," a notice said on the site. An hour later, Navalnaya's account on X was restored. 

According to reports, no explanation was provided for the suspension as well as the reinstatement. 

Alexei Navalny, 47, was the most vociferous critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was serving a 19-year prison term when he died in an Arctic penal colony last Friday.

Also read | 'Love you more and more,' Navalny's last message for his wife Yulia. Who is she?

Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation tagged X owner Elon Musk, asking him to "please explain exactly which rules were violated", after Yulia's account was suspened.

Less than an hour later, X restored her access to the social media platform.

Earlier on Tuesday (Feb 20), Navalnaya urged the Kremlin to "give back Alexei's body and let him be buried with dignity".

Also watch | EU says Russia 'solely responsible' for Navalny's death | WION Dispatch

On Monday (Feb 19), Navalnaya vowed to continue her husband's fight against the Kremlin, and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing the country's opposition leader.

In the video, published on YouTube and shared on X by Navalny's official spokesperson Kira Yarmysh, she also accused officials' refusal to hand over his body to his mother as part of a potential cover-up.

"They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably while waiting for the trace of" poison to disappear, Navalnaya said.

She suggested Navalny could have been killed with a novichok-like nerve agent.

The Kremlin has denounced the accusations as "unfounded" and "insolent".

Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "These are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state."

In her video statement, Navalnaya said: "By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul."

"But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up."

"I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny," she said.

Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya has demanded that her son's body must be released immediately, "so that I can bury him like a human being."

(With inputs from agencies)