Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Özturk has been detailed in Louisiana while fighting for her release from detention. The 30-year-old Turkish national was arrested in March but has not been charged with a crime. In a court filing, she described having asthma attacks since her arrest and detailed her experience in federal custody. Despite a federal judge’s order to keep her in Massachusetts, Özturk was moved to Louisiana, which has caused her distress and health issues. She has been denied the ability to speak to a lawyer during her transportation between states. Furthermore, she has been overcrowded in a cell with 24 other women, despite its capacity of 14. Özturk’s lawyers claim her detention is in violation of her First Amendment rights due to an op-ed she co-authored advocating for Palestinian rights. A hearing on her case is scheduled for Monday in federal court in Vermont. Özturk is requesting her release or a return to Massachusetts while her case is pending.
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