Twitter pulls plug on Putin parody accounts

Russian social media users are voicing their outrage at Twitter’s decision to suspend popular accounts parodying President Vladimir Putin and other officials.

Several Twitter accounts, such as @DarthPutinKGB which parodies Putin and @SovietSergey, which mocks Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, have been unavailable since Tuesday.

The parody Putin account had attracted more than 50,000 followers before it was shut down. The link to the account said it was suspended. Lavrov’s parody account along with two others mocking the Russian embassy in London and the Russian ambassador were restored and available to users after a reported suspension on Tuesday.

Social media users launched the #NoGulagForDarthPutinKGB hashtag on Twitter in protest.

Twitter Suspends Satirical Accounts, Raising Free Speech Questions https://t.co/IDoOyz2C3r #NoGulagForDarthPutinKGB pic.twitter.com/AkudMLovu7

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) June 1, 2016

Everyone, join #NoGulagForDarthPutinKGB Need to save him, who brings attention to #Kremlin regime through #humor and satire #TwitterStorm.

— Tetyana ???????????? (@TetySt) May 31, 2016

Estonian Toomas Hendrik Ilves, an avid social media user, condemned the suspension of “one of the funniest parody accounts around.”

— AP