Fact Check: Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish student at Tufts University, was surrounded and handcuffed by armed men for co-writing an op-ed denouncing Israeli military action in Gaza as a 'genocide'.

Fact Check: Rümeysa Öztürk Surrounded and Handcuffed by Armed Men for Co-Writing an Op-Ed

What We Know

Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish Ph.D. student at Tufts University, was detained on March 25, 2025, by plainclothes agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Somerville, Massachusetts. The incident occurred shortly after she co-authored an op-ed in The Tufts Daily that criticized the university's response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, referring to the situation as a "genocide" and calling for the university to divest from Israel (source-1, source-3). The DHS accused her of engaging in activities that supported Hamas, a claim that has been met with skepticism due to the lack of evidence provided (source-2, source-4).

Surveillance footage of the incident shows Öztürk being approached and surrounded by multiple men, which has led to public outcry and protests at Tufts University and beyond (source-1, source-3). Following her detention, her visa was revoked, and she was transferred through several ICE facilities before being released pending a decision on her case (source-2, source-4).

Analysis

The claim that Öztürk was "surrounded and handcuffed by armed men" is substantiated by the available evidence, including surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts. The footage shows her being approached by multiple individuals who were later identified as ICE agents. This aspect of the claim is accurate and highlights the aggressive nature of her detention (source-1, source-3).

However, the assertion that her detention was solely due to her co-authorship of an op-ed denouncing Israeli military actions as genocide is more complex. While her article did express strong opinions regarding the situation in Gaza, it did not explicitly support Hamas or glorify terrorism, as claimed by DHS (source-1, source-4). Critics argue that the government's actions appear to be politically motivated, targeting her for her views rather than any illegal activity (source-2, source-3).

The sources reporting on this incident vary in reliability. While mainstream news outlets like The New York Times and Al Jazeera provide well-researched coverage, other sources may carry biases, particularly those with strong political agendas (source-2, source-4). The lack of evidence from DHS regarding their allegations against Öztürk raises questions about the motivations behind her detention.

Conclusion

The claim that Rümeysa Öztürk was surrounded and handcuffed by armed men is Partially True. While the details of her detention are accurate, the assertion that it was solely due to her op-ed criticizing Israeli actions is more nuanced. The evidence suggests that her political views may have played a significant role in her targeting, but the government's justification for her detention remains unsubstantiated. This incident raises important questions about free speech and the treatment of non-citizens in the U.S.

Sources

1. On the Frightened Voice of Rumeysa Ozturk Heard on a ...
2. Targeting of Tufts Student for Deportation Stuns Friends ...
3. Detention of Rümeysa Öztürk - Wikipedia
4. Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk says she will continue to ...
5. Rümeysa Öztürk's 'last' Op-Ed - 48 hills
6. I was disappeared under Argentina's dictatorship. I know ...
7. Tufts student detained by federal agents: What we know
8. If genocide did not disturb their peace, why should deportations?