Tufts Student Fights for Academic Freedom After Arrest

Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, has been allowed to resume her studies after her visa was revoked, leading to six weeks of detention. This legal decision follows her involvement in pro-Palestinian advocacy and a co-authored article critical of the university's stance on the Gaza conflict.

A federal judge has ruled in favor of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University PhD student from Turkey, reinstating her ability to teach and conduct research after being detained for six weeks due to a revoked visa by the former Trump administration.

Öztürk's arrest marked the beginning of a crackdown on foreign-born students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. Captured on video, she was apprehended in March outside her Somerville home by immigration officers in an unmarked vehicle. Her involvement included co-authoring an op-ed critical of Tufts University's response to the Israeli-Gaza conflict.

Since her release from a Louisiana detention center in May, Öztürk, who hopes to graduate next year, has fought for her academic rights. The court's decision by Chief US District Judge Denise J Casper found the visa revocation and termination of her SEVIS record to be arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful, encouraging Öztürk as she continues to challenge her initial arrest.

(With inputs from agencies.)