Sellafield worker Lee Joseph Dunn was unjustly sentenced to prison after making three Facebook posts. His crime was nothing more than expressing an opinion, as controversial as it may have been. Certainly, none of these posts incited violence, the absolute threshold for severe punishment that we're talking about here.

This case isn't about supporting those specific posts. It's about defending a fundamental cornerstone of our democracy: the freedom of speech. Without this essential right, we are sliding down a slippery slope where any person could be prosecuted for holding views out of line with a dominant perspective.

Free speech plays a vital role in our democracy, without which there cannot be a healthy and vibrant civil society. It is a foundation upon which other rights depend and is recognised as a fundamental human right under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Throughout history, it has proved to be a potent force against injustice and a powerful ally to those seeking to hold the powerful to account. Yet, it now appears that this monument of our democracy is under threat with the case of Lee Joseph Dunn.

We must rally against this blatant disregard of fundamental rights. By signing this petition, we stand together to challenge the injustice of his imprisonment, demanding for the immediate release of Lee Dunn. We must not allow this precedent to be set, where people can be imprisoned for expressing a view, no matter how controversial it might be.

The likes of Darren Grimes, Russell Brand and Elon Musk have already commented on how shocked they are considering the circumstances surrounding sentencing of Lee Dunn.

The freedom to express our thoughts and ideas freely is not one we can afford to lose. It is a right we should relentlessly fight to preserve. For Lee Dunn, and for every citizen, sign this petition and demonstrate our refusal to watch our basic rights erode.