US immigration officials have detained a Turkish student, Rumeysa Ozturk, over her pro-Palestine views. Ozturk, a PhD student at Tufts University and a Fulbright scholar, was taken into custody by masked federal agents while on her way to an iftar dinner.
Her detention is believed to be linked to her criticism of Israel and advocacy for Palestinian rights. Ozturk had co-authored an op-ed in Tufts Daily, arguing that Israel’s military actions in Gaza constituted “genocide” under international law.
This incident has sparked widespread condemnation from lawmakers, rights groups, and academics, who see it as a crackdown on free speech and academic freedom. The Turkish Embassy in Washington has also expressed concern and is closely following the situation.
Ozturk’s detention is not an isolated incident. There have been reports of other pro-Palestine students and activists being targeted by US immigration officials, including Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and student at Columbia University, and Yunseo Chung, a Korean Columbia University student.
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