Russell Brand has spoken out from behind bars by sharing a campaign calling for his release, which has attracted more than 5,000 signatures. The comedian's X account posted a link to a Change.org petition on Thursday (November 12).
Alongside the link, Brand's account shared the hashtag #FreeRussellBrand, directing his followers towards the campaign, which had received 5,684 verified signatures at the time of writing.
Petition Organised Independently
However, the petition is not officially affiliated with Brand or his legal representatives. It has been organised independently by supporters and calls for his right to appeal his convictions to be respected.
An update posted by the petition starter three days ago sets out its position, saying: “Following Russell Brand's convictions at Southwark Crown Court, we are calling for his right to challenge those convictions through lawful appeal procedures to be fully respected.”
The campaign asks for Brand to have access to legal advice and to be able to pursue any lawful appeal available to him. It also calls for independent scrutiny of any properly submitted appeal grounds, transparency and fairness throughout the judicial process.
Campaign's Stated Position
The petition states: “A fair justice system must allow convictions to be challenged through established legal procedures.”
It adds that the campaign does not call for harassment, intimidation or interference with witnesses or court proceedings, but instead encourages peaceful advocacy and respect for the law.
Social Media Reaction
Brand's post prompted a strong reaction on social media, with many users criticising the campaign and questioning why anyone would support his release.
One person wrote: “Why would we want to free a convicted rapist? That would be the mother of all stupid!”
Another commented: “We don't free rapists”, while a third said they would sign a petition to increase his sentence instead.
Others expressed support for the campaign, with one commenter urging people to sign and claiming Brand was in prison for crimes he did not commit.
The petition has also attracted lengthy messages from supporters. One contributor, who identified themselves as a rape survivor, questioned the sentence and argued that everyone should have the right to challenge a conviction through the legal system.
Another supporter described the situation as a “witch hunt” and claimed Brand had been targeted because of his outspoken views.
Brand was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault and one count of rape earlier this week. He was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the crimes.
