US Rep. Ayanna Pressley condemned the arrest and detention of Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, stating that it was a dictatorial tactic to suppress dissenting voices. Ozturk, a Turkish national in the country legally, was detained by federal agents in masks and plain clothes as she headed to an Iftar event during Ramadan. Pressley joined other Massachusetts lawmakers in demanding an explanation from the Department of Homeland Security for Ozturk’s arrest and calling for her release.
The ACLU and other organizations have filed a petition challenging Ozturk’s detention, emphasizing that she has not been charged with a crime. The Trump administration has claimed she supports Hamas based on an op-ed she co-authored, but there is no evidence to support this. Pressley argued that Ozturk’s arrest violates free speech and due process, urging for her release and reinstatement of her visa.
Pressley warned that what happened to Ozturk could happen to anyone and called for defiance against dictatorial actions like these. She stressed the importance of amplifying Ozturk’s story and demanding justice to prevent further suppression of free speech and due process under the current administration. The situation has raised concerns about government overreach and targeting of individuals based on their political views, prompting calls for accountability and respect for civil liberties.
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