TURKISH
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US judge delay decision on whether to release Ozturk
One judge say e go first determine if e get power to rule on Ozturk petition before e go consider to release her.
US judge delay decision on whether to release Ozturk
Ozturk's case is one of a growing list that targets pro-Palestine students criticising Israel's genocide in the blockaded enclave. / Reuters
8 Eprel 2025

One US federal judge don ask for more evidence for di case of one Turkish student, Rumeysa Ozturk, wey dem kidnap and detain for March by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents.

Di judge also shift decision on Monday about whether dem go release her on bail.

US District Judge William K. Sessions III, wey dey handle di case for Burlington, Vermont, talk say e need confirm if e get di power to rule on Ozturk matter before e go fit decide whether to grant her bail.

Court documents show say dem revoke her student visa four days before di arrest without any prior notice. Her lawyers talk say dem no give her any reason for di arrest.

For one phone meeting with di lawyers on Monday, Sessions talk say if di court no get di power to handle di case – as di government dey claim – den e no go fit do anything for di matter.

E give both sides till 5 pm Thursday to submit legal documents wey go explain di jurisdiction and bail matter, and e schedule another hearing for April 14.

Ozturk lawyer, Ramzi Kassem, beg di judge make dem release her quick so she fit continue her studies. E argue say di court get di power to release her and she no be threat to di public or go run away.

But Assistant US Attorney Michael Drescher talk say di main issue na di jurisdiction matter, wey dem need settle first.

Di government dey claim say di Ozturk case suppose dey for immigration court, and federal district courts no get di power to handle di issues she raise, like di visa revocation and deportation order.

Dem first hold Ozturk overnight for Vermont after di arrest, then dem carry her go Louisiana di next day. Her friends, lawyers, and di Turkish consulate no know where she dey for over 24 hours. During dat time, her lawyers talk say she get asthma attack.

One federal judge for Boston, where Ozturk legal team file emergency petition di night dem arrest her, later rule say di case suppose continue for Vermont because na there she dey when dem file di case.

Judge Sessions talk on Monday say di case get some kind unusual circumstances and e ask both sides make dem bring more evidence.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio don confirm before say dem revoke Ozturk student F-1 visa and defend her detention. Authorities claim say she dey support di Palestinian group Hamas, but dem no provide any evidence.

One viral video show di moment wey dem detain her, as masked DHS agents handcuff her and collect her phone by force.

Ozturk lawyers and supporters dey talk say dem detain her because she co-write one article for The Tufts Daily for March 2024 wey criticize di university handling of di pro-Palestinian movement.

Ozturk case na one out of many wey dey target pro-Palestine students wey dey criticize Israel actions for di blockaded area.

For March 8, authorities arrest Mahmoud Khalil, wey lead pro-Palestine protests for Columbia University last Spring. Trump praise di arrest and talk say na di "first of many." Trump accuse Khalil of supporting Hamas, but Khalil deny di allegation.

Few days after Khalil arrest, dem arrest another pro-Palestine student, Badar Khan Suri, one Indian researcher for Georgetown University. Him lawyer talk say dem arrest am because him wife na Palestinian.

After Suri arrest, authorities go after another pro-Palestine student, Momodou Taal, tell am make e surrender himself.

For March 25, Yunseo Chung, one Columbia University student, talk say she don sue di Trump administration to stop her deportation from US because she join pro-Palestine protest last Spring.

Other students like Leqaa Kordia, Ranjani Srinivasan, and Alireza Doroudi don either dey detained or dem self-deport.

Trump also dey target US universities wey allow pro-Palestine protests for their campus.

E start with Columbia, wey spark plenty pro-Palestine protests across US campuses, and e cancel $400 million federal funding for di university.

Di university later bow to di pressure, announce new policy changes, including campus protest rules.

Trump then face Harvard, launch investigation of alleged anti-Semitism and threaten to withdraw $9 billion federal funding from di university.

Di move come after di university sack di leaders of di Center for Middle Eastern Studies to distance demself from pro-Palestine voices and allegations of bias.

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