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Meghan Markle's half sister has sparked outrage online after she called for EDL founder Tommy Robinson to be freed from prison in a Twitter rant.

Samantha Markle told thousands of her followers she thought the 35-year-old's 13-month jail sentence for contempt of court was 'ridiculous'.

On Friday, Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed after he filmed outside an ongoing court case at Leeds Crown Court.

The EDL founder was under a suspended sentence for the same offense at the time.

A petition was started to 'free' the right-wing campaigner, who now considers himself a journalist, and Samantha Markle shared it to her more than 5,000 Twitter followers, The Mirror reported.

(Image: sammymarkle64/Twitter)

Far right activists in American have leaped to Tommy's defence and say that reporting restrictions - put in place to ensure those on trial receive a fair hearing - are tantamount to a 'gag order'.

Tommy Robinson has been freed from prison after winning an appeal

Conspiracy theorists think Tommy was imprisoned as part of a plot to silence the far right.

(Image: ITV)

The EDL founder was arrested by police outside court and taken to court where he pleaded guilty to contempt of court and breaching his suspended sentence before being blasted by Judge Geoffrey Mason QC for his "highly prejudicial actions".

Robinson now has support from a relative of the royal family but Samantha has been slammed for her view.

One said: "Maybe you should pay attention to the mess in your country before you trying to change another country you have no deep understanding of or even live in."

Another critic tweeted: "Not true. Some forms of expression - e.g. child pornography - are never covered by 1A. The Tommy Robinson case is not one of free speech. It is to do with his (again) violating a gag order imposed to preserve the integrity of a criminal trial. The US allows the same restriction."

A third social media user wrote: "Silly woman. Robinson broke his suspended sentence and was in contempt of court. Read the judge's statement"

Jailing him for 13 months, Judge Marson QC told Robinson: “No one could possibly conclude that it would be anything other than highly prejudicial to the defendants in the trial.

“I respect everyone’s right to free speech. That’s one of the most important rights that we have.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

“With those rights come responsibilities. The responsibility to exercise that freedom of speech within the law.

“I am not sure you appreciate the potential consequence of what you have done."

Robinson's prison sentence was originally the subject of a reporting restriction which was lifted by the judge following a legal challenge by Leeds Live and The Independent.