403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were
looking for doesn't exist.
Demonstrations erupt in Massachusetts over Turkish student arrest
(MENAFN) Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Massachusetts on Wednesday, demanding the release of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish Ph.D. student at Tufts University, who was detained by U.S. immigration authorities.
Protesters, brandishing signs reading "Free Rumeysa" and "We stand with Rumeysa," called for her immediate release from custody.
Ozturk was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents near her Somerville, Massachusetts, residence on Tuesday evening as she was en route to an iftar dinner, according to her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai.
Reports indicate that masked federal agents took her into custody in broad daylight, with authorities alleging she engaged in activities supporting Hamas. Her family and supporters vehemently deny these accusations.
Her detention follows a campaign initiated by Canary Mission after she co-authored an op-ed in The Tufts Daily in 2024, advocating for the university to acknowledge the Palestinian genocide and divest from companies with ties to Israel.
Tufts University President Sunil Kumar stated, "The university had no pre-knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event.” He added, "From what we have been told subsequently, the student’s visa status has been terminated, and we seek to confirm whether that information is true."
Protesters, brandishing signs reading "Free Rumeysa" and "We stand with Rumeysa," called for her immediate release from custody.
Ozturk was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents near her Somerville, Massachusetts, residence on Tuesday evening as she was en route to an iftar dinner, according to her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabai.
Reports indicate that masked federal agents took her into custody in broad daylight, with authorities alleging she engaged in activities supporting Hamas. Her family and supporters vehemently deny these accusations.
Her detention follows a campaign initiated by Canary Mission after she co-authored an op-ed in The Tufts Daily in 2024, advocating for the university to acknowledge the Palestinian genocide and divest from companies with ties to Israel.
Tufts University President Sunil Kumar stated, "The university had no pre-knowledge of this incident and did not share any information with federal authorities prior to the event.” He added, "From what we have been told subsequently, the student’s visa status has been terminated, and we seek to confirm whether that information is true."
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Most popular stories
More Story
Comments
No comment