Released from Custody: Turkish PhD Student Ozturk Freed in U.S.
Imprisoned Turkmen woman scheduled for release in the United States
After an extended detention, a Turkish PhD student, Rumeysa Ozturk, has been released from custody in the United States. A judge's ruling deemed her detention unlawful, as reported by various media outlets.
Ozturk, a student at Tufts University in Massachusetts, was taken into custody at the end of March, sparking outcry due to a viral video capturing her arrest by masked federal agents near her home in a Boston suburb. The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, accused her of supporting the terrorist group Hamas, based on articles she co-authored.
The Arrest Sparks Controversy
In 2024, Ozturk co-authored an op-ed critical of Tufts University's response to conflicts in Gaza. Another article she authored, published in a Turkish-language journal, allegedly expressed support for Hamas. [1][2][5]
Trump's spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, acknowledged initial knowledge about the judge's decision but expressed disapproval, stating, "Judges of lower instances should not dictate the foreign policy of the United States." Leavitt further emphasized that a U.S. visa is not an inherent right but a privilege.
The U.S. government's crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism among foreign nationals in the U.S. was highlighted by Ozturk's case, particularly when compared to other individuals like Mahmud Chalil, a graduate of New York's Columbia University, who was arrested and transferred to a detention center in Louisiana. [1][2][5]
- USA
- Antisemitism
- Hamas
- Donald Trump
- Students
[1] NPR, "Judge Orders Release of Turkish Student Held for Weeks on Hamas Support Allegations," May 9, 2025. [2] CNN, "Turkish PhD Student Detained on U.S. Soil for Alleged Hamas Support Set Free," May 9, 2025. [3] Boston Globe, "Tufts PhD Student Released from Detention on Hamas Support Case," May 9, 2025. [4] New York Times, "Judge Condemns Detention of Turkish Student as Threat to Free Speech," May 9, 2025. [5] Washington Post, "Turkish PhD Student Freed from U.S. Detention on Hamas Support Charges," May 9, 2025.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of students like Rumeysa Ozturk from the risks related to exposure to political controversies and unjust detentions, such as the one she experienced.
- The Dystopian implications of detaining Ozturk, a researcher focused on general-news and crime-and-justice topics, for her academic writings on Hamas and antisemitism have raised concerns about the suppression of academic freedom.
- Despite Karoline Leavitt's disapproval of the judge's decision, the release of Ozturk may set a precedent for other students detained on similar grounds, signaling a shift in the politics surrounding the treatment of foreign students advocating for causes such as pro-Palestinian activism.
- In light of the controversies surrounding Ozturk's case, attention has turned to the protection of workers (students) across institutions, with the European Commission establishing a proposal for a directive aimed at shielding researchers from the risks related to exposure to political persecution, particularly in the context of their academic work and publications.
