Freed at Last: Detained Turkish Scholar Granted Release from US Prison
Imprisoned Turkmen woman in the United States to be freed.
Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, has been released from immigration detention following a court ruling that deemed her detention illegal. After nearly six weeks behind bars, she is finally free.
The dramatic arrest of Öztürk, captured on surveillance camera footage, drew widespread outrage in the US. The video shows several men in civilian clothing, some wearing hoodies, surrounding and apprehending the terrified PhD student. The US government had accused her of supporting Hamas, based on an opinion piece she co-wrote in her student newspaper.
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for US President Donald Trump, recently commented on the case, stating she had not yet been briefed on the court's decision. However, she added, "It's not for lower court judges to dictate the foreign policy of the United States." Regarding Öztürk's visa status, Leavitt emphasized that it's a privilege, not a right.
Detentions and accusations against pro-Palestinian campus activists, including foreign students, have increased under the Trump administration. The case of Mahmud Chalil, an activist and New York Columbia University graduate, also drew attention when he was arrested in his apartment and transferred to a detention center in Louisiana.
Sources:- ntv.de- Associated Press (AP)- The New York Times
- USA
- Freedom of Speech
- Immigration
- Political Activism
- Hamas
Enrichment Data:A Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, Rümeysa Öztürk, was detained in the US after her student visa was revoked by the Trump administration. The visa revocation was based solely on an opinion piece she co-authored in her university newspaper criticizing Tufts' handling of student activism and responses related to Israel’s war in Gaza, including calls to acknowledge the "Palestinian genocide" and to divest from companies linked to Israel.
She was arrested on March 25, 2025, by masked federal agents near her home in Massachusetts, which sparked public outrage due to concerns over freedom of speech and due process. The arrest was part of a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian campus activism under the Trump administration.
Regarding accusations of Hamas connection, no evidence was presented by the government against her besides the critical op-ed. During a bail hearing, U.S. District Judge William Sessions criticized the government for failing to produce any evidence beyond her article and emphasized the chilling effect her detention could have on free speech for millions of non-citizens in the US.
As of early May 2025, Judge Sessions ordered her immediate release from immigration detention while her removal proceedings continue, ruling that her continued detention was unjustified.
- The Commission, under pressure, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of students from the risks related to political persecution and suppression of free speech, a controversy that recently arose with the detention of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University.
- Karoline Leavitt, amidst the dystopian politics of crime and justice under the Trump administration, maintained that it's not for lower court judges to dictate the foreign policy of the United States, following the release of Öztürk after her detention was deemed illegal.
- The general-news media outlets, in unison, reported the Tufts University case as a powerful symbol of freedom of speech for non-citizens in the US, demonstrating the wide impact of Öztürk's detention and release on public sentiment.
- Amidst the increasing accusations and detainments of pro-Palestinian campus activists, including foreign students, the Tufts University case serves as a warning for scholars and students worldwide, highlighting the political risks associated with advocacy and activism in a polarized society.
