diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d735f3f69..ebb8217e7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
 ## [1.132.0] - Not released
+### Added
+- Ability to "unlock" and preview comments from the banned users and with reply
+  to the banned users.
 ### Fixed
 - Fixed a bug where the first partial opening of comments ("show last N") would
   open one extra comment.
diff --git a/src/components/alternative-text.jsx b/src/components/alternative-text.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1606a1305
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/alternative-text.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import cn from 'classnames';
+import { faTimes } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
+import { Icon } from './fontawesome-icons';
+import { ButtonLink } from './button-link';
+import style from './alternative-text.module.scss';
+
+export function AlternativeText({
+  status,
+  icon,
+  isError = false,
+  inComment = false,
+  close,
+  children,
+}) {
+  return (
+    <div className={cn(style.box, inComment && style.inComment)}>
+      <div className={cn(style.status, isError && style.statusError)}>
+        <span className={style.icon}>
+          <Icon icon={icon} />
+        </span>
+        <span className={style.statusText}>{status}</span>
+        <ButtonLink onClick={close} aria-label="Close" className={style.closeIcon}>
+          <Icon icon={faTimes} />
+        </ButtonLink>
+      </div>
+      <div>{children}</div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/components/translated-text.module.scss b/src/components/alternative-text.module.scss
similarity index 100%
rename from src/components/translated-text.module.scss
rename to src/components/alternative-text.module.scss
diff --git a/src/components/comment-likers.js b/src/components/comment-likers.js
index a85be299f..51a5d7a32 100644
--- a/src/components/comment-likers.js
+++ b/src/components/comment-likers.js
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ import { initialAsyncState } from '../redux/async-helpers';
  * Load and return all likers of the given comment
  *
  * @param {string} id
+ * @param {boolean} suppress do not load likes (when we know they aren't available)
  */
-export function useCommentLikers(id) {
+export function useCommentLikers(id, suppress = false) {
   const dispatch = useDispatch();
-  useEffect(() => void dispatch(getCommentLikes(id)), [dispatch, id]);
+  useEffect(() => void (!suppress && dispatch(getCommentLikes(id))), [suppress, dispatch, id]);
   return useSelector((state) => {
     const { status = initialAsyncState, likes = [] } = state.commentLikes[id] || {};
     return {
diff --git a/src/components/post/post-comment-more-menu.jsx b/src/components/post/post-comment-more-menu.jsx
index 94103bc29..2e9b80027 100644
--- a/src/components/post/post-comment-more-menu.jsx
+++ b/src/components/post/post-comment-more-menu.jsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   faEdit,
   faHeartBroken,
   faLink,
+  faLockOpen,
   faUserFriends,
 } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
 import { faHeart, faClock, faTrashAlt } from '@fortawesome/free-regular-svg-icons';
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ export const PostCommentMoreMenu = forwardRef(function PostCommentMore(
     doLike,
     doUnlike,
     doShowLikes,
+    doUnlock,
     getBackwardIdx,
     createdAt,
     updatedAt,
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ export const PostCommentMoreMenu = forwardRef(function PostCommentMore(
   },
   menuRef,
 ) {
-  const { status, likers } = useCommentLikers(id);
+  const { status, likers } = useCommentLikers(id, isHidden);
   const myUsername = useSelector((state) => state.user.username);
   const bIdx = getBackwardIdx();
   const arrows = bIdx <= 4 ? '^'.repeat(bIdx) : `^${bIdx}`;
@@ -113,6 +115,13 @@ export const PostCommentMoreMenu = forwardRef(function PostCommentMore(
       !isHidden && (
         <MenuItemTranslate key="translate" type="comment" id={id} doAndClose={doAndClose} />
       ),
+      doUnlock && (
+        <div key="unlock" className={styles.item}>
+          <ButtonLink onClick={doUnlock} className={styles.link}>
+            <Iconic icon={faLockOpen}>Show comment</Iconic>
+          </ButtonLink>
+        </div>
+      ),
     ],
     [
       doDelete && authorUsername !== myUsername && (
diff --git a/src/components/post/post-comment.jsx b/src/components/post/post-comment.jsx
index 344d3b8e9..4cc1d5955 100644
--- a/src/components/post/post-comment.jsx
+++ b/src/components/post/post-comment.jsx
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ import classnames from 'classnames';
 import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 
 import { preventDefault, confirmFirst } from '../../utils';
-import { READMORE_STYLE_COMPACT } from '../../utils/frontend-preferences-options';
+import {
+  HIDDEN_AUTHOR_BANNED,
+  READMORE_STYLE_COMPACT,
+} from '../../utils/frontend-preferences-options';
 import { commentReadmoreConfig } from '../../utils/readmore-config';
 import { defaultCommentState } from '../../redux/reducers/comment-edit';
 
@@ -22,6 +25,7 @@ import { Separated } from '../separated';
 import { TranslatedText } from '../translated-text';
 import { initialAsyncState } from '../../redux/async-helpers';
 import { existingCommentURI, newCommentURI } from '../../services/drafts';
+import { UnlockedHiddenComment } from '../unlocked-hidden-comment';
 import { PostCommentMore } from './post-comment-more';
 import { PostCommentPreview } from './post-comment-preview';
 import { CommentProvider } from './post-comment-provider';
@@ -36,6 +40,7 @@ class PostComment extends Component {
     previewSeqNumber: 0,
     previewLeft: 0,
     previewTop: 0,
+    unlockHidden: false,
   };
 
   scrollToComment = () => {
@@ -158,9 +163,13 @@ class PostComment extends Component {
       canLike: !ownComment && !this.isHidden(),
       canReply: !this.isHidden() && this.props.canAddComment,
       canDelete: this.props.isEditable || this.props.isDeletable,
+      canUnlock: this.props.hideType === HIDDEN_AUTHOR_BANNED || this.props.isReplyToBanned,
     };
   }
 
+  unlockHidden = () => this.setState({ unlockHidden: true });
+  lockHidden = () => this.setState({ unlockHidden: false });
+
   // We use this strange data structure because there can be more than one
   // PostCommentMore element created in the comment (see Expandable/bonusInfo).
   _moreMenuOpeners = [];
@@ -171,7 +180,7 @@ class PostComment extends Component {
   onMoreMenuOpened = (moreMenuOpened) => this.setState({ moreMenuOpened });
 
   commentTail() {
-    const { canLike, canReply, canDelete } = this.possibleActions();
+    const { canLike, canReply, canDelete, canUnlock } = this.possibleActions();
     return (
       <span
         aria-label={
@@ -229,6 +238,7 @@ class PostComment extends Component {
                   doMention={canReply && this.mention}
                   doLike={canLike && !this.props.hasOwnLike && this.like}
                   doUnlike={canLike && this.props.hasOwnLike && this.unlike}
+                  doUnlock={canUnlock && this.unlockHidden}
                   getBackwardIdx={this.backwardIdx}
                   createdAt={this.props.createdAt}
                   updatedAt={this.props.updatedAt}
@@ -266,6 +276,15 @@ class PostComment extends Component {
     if (this.isHidden()) {
       return (
         <div className="comment-body">
+          {this.state.unlockHidden && (
+            <UnlockedHiddenComment
+              id={this.props.id}
+              userHover={this.props.authorHighlightHandlers}
+              arrowHover={this.arrowHoverHandlers}
+              arrowClick={this.arrowClick}
+              close={this.lockHidden}
+            />
+          )}
           <span className="comment-text">{this.hiddenBody()}</span>
           {commentTail}
         </div>
diff --git a/src/components/translated-text.jsx b/src/components/translated-text.jsx
index 1a2738a6d..b4da4f0a1 100644
--- a/src/components/translated-text.jsx
+++ b/src/components/translated-text.jsx
@@ -1,16 +1,12 @@
 import ISO6391 from 'iso-639-1';
 import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux';
-import cn from 'classnames';
 import { useCallback } from 'react';
-import { faTimes } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
 import { initialAsyncState } from '../redux/async-helpers';
 import { resetTranslation } from '../redux/action-creators';
 import { useServerValue } from './hooks/server-info';
 import PieceOfText from './piece-of-text';
-import { Icon } from './fontawesome-icons';
 import { faTranslate } from './fontawesome-custom-icons';
-import { ButtonLink } from './button-link';
-import style from './translated-text.module.scss';
+import { AlternativeText } from './alternative-text';
 
 const selectTranslationService = (serverInfo) => serverInfo.textTranslation.serviceTitle;
 
@@ -27,29 +23,31 @@ export function TranslatedText({ type, id, userHover, arrowHover, arrowClick })
   }
   if (status.loading) {
     return (
-      <Layout
+      <AlternativeText
+        icon={faTranslate}
         status={`Translating using ${serviceTitle}...`}
         inComment={type === 'comment'}
-        reset={reset}
+        close={reset}
       />
     );
   }
   if (status.error) {
     return (
-      <Layout
-        isError
+      <AlternativeText
+        icon={faTranslate}
         status={`Translation error: ${status.errorText}`}
         inComment={type === 'comment'}
-        reset={reset}
+        close={reset}
       />
     );
   }
 
   return (
-    <Layout
+    <AlternativeText
+      icon={faTranslate}
       status={`Translated from ${ISO6391.getName(result.detectedLang)} using ${serviceTitle}:`}
       inComment={type === 'comment'}
-      reset={reset}
+      close={reset}
     >
       <PieceOfText
         isExpanded
@@ -58,23 +56,6 @@ export function TranslatedText({ type, id, userHover, arrowHover, arrowClick })
         arrowHover={arrowHover}
         arrowClick={arrowClick}
       />
-    </Layout>
-  );
-}
-
-function Layout({ status, isError = false, inComment = false, reset, children }) {
-  return (
-    <div className={cn(style.box, inComment && style.inComment)}>
-      <div className={cn(style.status, isError && style.statusError)}>
-        <span className={style.icon}>
-          <Icon icon={faTranslate} />
-        </span>
-        <span className={style.statusText}>{status}</span>
-        <ButtonLink onClick={reset} aria-label="Close" className={style.closeIcon}>
-          <Icon icon={faTimes} />
-        </ButtonLink>
-      </div>
-      <div>{children}</div>
-    </div>
+    </AlternativeText>
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/components/unlocked-hidden-comment.jsx b/src/components/unlocked-hidden-comment.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a581d7b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/unlocked-hidden-comment.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { useDispatch, useSelector } from 'react-redux';
+import { faLockOpen } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons';
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { COMMENT_VISIBLE, HIDDEN_AUTHOR_BANNED } from '../utils/frontend-preferences-options';
+import { initialAsyncState } from '../redux/async-helpers';
+import { unlockComment } from '../redux/action-creators';
+import PieceOfText from './piece-of-text';
+import { AlternativeText } from './alternative-text';
+import UserName from './user-name';
+
+export function UnlockedHiddenComment({ id, userHover, arrowHover, arrowClick, close }) {
+  const dispatch = useDispatch();
+  const comment = useSelector((state) => state.comments[id]);
+
+  const status = useSelector((store) => store.unlockedCommentStates[id] ?? initialAsyncState);
+  const unlockedComment = useSelector((store) => store.unlockedComments[id]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (comment.hideType === HIDDEN_AUTHOR_BANNED && status.initial) {
+      dispatch(unlockComment(id));
+    }
+  }, [comment.hideType, dispatch, id, status.initial]);
+
+  let title;
+  if (comment.hideType === COMMENT_VISIBLE) {
+    title = `Comment with reply to blocked user:`;
+  } else if (comment.hideType === HIDDEN_AUTHOR_BANNED) {
+    if (status.loading) {
+      title = `Loading comment from a blocked user...`;
+    } else if (status.error) {
+      title = `Error loading comment: ${status.errorText}`;
+    } else {
+      title = `Comment from a blocked user:`;
+    }
+  }
+
+  let content = null;
+  if (comment.hideType === COMMENT_VISIBLE) {
+    content = (
+      <CommentContent
+        comment={comment}
+        userHover={userHover}
+        arrowHover={arrowHover}
+        arrowClick={arrowClick}
+      />
+    );
+  } else if (comment.hideType === HIDDEN_AUTHOR_BANNED) {
+    content = (
+      <CommentContent
+        comment={unlockedComment}
+        userHover={userHover}
+        arrowHover={arrowHover}
+        arrowClick={arrowClick}
+      />
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <AlternativeText icon={faLockOpen} status={title} inComment close={close}>
+      {content}
+    </AlternativeText>
+  );
+}
+
+function CommentContent({ comment, userHover, arrowHover, arrowClick }) {
+  const allUsers = useSelector((state) => state.users);
+  const author = allUsers[comment?.createdBy];
+  return (
+    comment && (
+      <>
+        <PieceOfText
+          isExpanded
+          text={comment.body}
+          userHover={userHover}
+          arrowHover={arrowHover}
+          arrowClick={arrowClick}
+        />
+        {author && (
+          <>
+            {' '}
+            - <UserName user={author} />
+          </>
+        )}
+      </>
+    )
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/redux/action-creators.js b/src/redux/action-creators.js
index 78dfa5200..165bf557e 100644
--- a/src/redux/action-creators.js
+++ b/src/redux/action-creators.js
@@ -1387,3 +1387,11 @@ export function notifyOfAllComments(postId, enabled) {
     payload: { postId, enabled },
   };
 }
+
+export function unlockComment(id) {
+  return {
+    type: ActionTypes.UNLOCK_COMMENT,
+    apiRequest: Api.unlockComment,
+    payload: { id },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/redux/action-types.js b/src/redux/action-types.js
index 18466a850..945763000 100644
--- a/src/redux/action-types.js
+++ b/src/redux/action-types.js
@@ -179,3 +179,4 @@ export const TRANSLATE_TEXT = 'TRANSLATE_TEXT';
 export const GET_BACKLINKS = 'GET_BACKLINKS';
 export const NOTIFY_OF_ALL_COMMENTS = 'NOTIFY_OF_ALL_COMMENTS';
 export const SET_ORBIT = 'SET_ORBIT';
+export const UNLOCK_COMMENT = 'UNLOCK_COMMENT';
diff --git a/src/redux/reducers.js b/src/redux/reducers.js
index 6133dba0b..17c9715e3 100644
--- a/src/redux/reducers.js
+++ b/src/redux/reducers.js
@@ -2181,3 +2181,5 @@ export const calendarMonthDays = fromResponse(
 export { userStatsStatus, userStats } from './reducers/dynamic-user-stats';
 
 export { translationStates, translationResults } from './reducers/translation';
+
+export { unlockedCommentStates, unlockedComments } from './reducers/unlocked-comments';
diff --git a/src/redux/reducers/unlocked-comments.js b/src/redux/reducers/unlocked-comments.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f80785f2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/redux/reducers/unlocked-comments.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { UNLOCK_COMMENT } from '../action-types';
+import { asyncResultsMap, asyncStatesMap } from '../async-helpers';
+import { setOnLocationChange } from './helpers';
+
+const resetOnLocationChange = setOnLocationChange({});
+
+export const unlockedCommentStates = asyncStatesMap(UNLOCK_COMMENT, {}, resetOnLocationChange);
+export const unlockedComments = asyncResultsMap(
+  UNLOCK_COMMENT,
+  {
+    transformer: (action) => action.payload.comments,
+  },
+  resetOnLocationChange,
+);
diff --git a/src/services/api.js b/src/services/api.js
index 43069d75d..449ac312b 100644
--- a/src/services/api.js
+++ b/src/services/api.js
@@ -820,6 +820,10 @@ export function getCommentsByIds({ commentIds }) {
   return fetch(`${apiRoot}/v2/comments/byIds`, postRequestOptions('POST', { commentIds }));
 }
 
+export function unlockComment({ id }) {
+  return fetch(`${apiRoot}/v2/comments/${id}?unlock-banned`, getRequestOptions());
+}
+
 export function translateText({ type, id, lang }) {
   const part = type === 'post' ? 'posts' : 'comments';
   const qs = lang ? `?lang=${lang}` : '';