Opposition to bail for Rümeysa, detained in the US: Claims that the process has been politicized

The detention of Turkish PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk, who was taken into custody last month in the US due to her support for Palestine, will continue.

At a closed hearing held at an immigration court in the state of Louisiana, the bail request for Öztürk, who is a student at Tufts University, was denied.

Öztürk's lawyers stated that their client was targeted under pressure from the Trump administration due to an op-ed she wrote about the attacks on Gaza, and that the legal process has been politicized. The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, argued that Öztürk's release could pose a "flight risk" and a "threat to the community."

Speaking after the hearing, lawyer Marty Rosenbluth said, "This is a clear violation of the rule of law. Immigration courts are being turned into a political weapon against those who defend Palestinian rights."

Rosenbluth also emphasized that the government does not have any serious evidence in its possession and that the entire process is based on a single-paragraph letter sent by the State Department to ICE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Öztürk, who was detained by masked ICE agents on March 25 while on her way to an iftar dinner in Massachusetts, was first taken to Vermont and then to a detention center in Louisiana. During this time, her lawyers filed an emergency motion and succeeded in obtaining a stay of deportation.

Massachusetts District Judge Denise Casper had also stated that it would be more appropriate for Öztürk's case to be heard in Vermont. However, a new application has been filed for her transfer to Vermont or her release, citing the health condition of Öztürk, who is still being held in Louisiana.

On the other hand, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had announced that Öztürk's student visa had been revoked and that she would be deported.

News Source: AA