After a federal judge ruled that his detention violated his rights, Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri has been released from a Texas immigration detention center, following his arrest for alleged ties to Hamas related to his family background and advocacy for Palestinian rights.
**Georgetown Researcher Freed from Detention Amid Controversial Charges**
**Georgetown Researcher Freed from Detention Amid Controversial Charges**
A federal judge's decision allows Badar Khan Suri to return home after immigration agents targeted him for his activism.
In a significant ruling on Wednesday, Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow, was released from a Texas immigration detention center where he had been held since March 17. His detention, ordered under the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on campus activists, was found unconstitutional by US District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.
Suri, an Indian national, faced allegations from US authorities of having "connections to a known or suspected terrorist" and was accused of promoting Hamas propaganda. His lawyers argued he was targeted due to his support for Palestinian rights and familial ties to Gaza. Judge Giles dismissed the government's claims that Suri had ties to Hamas through his American wife, Mapheze Saleh, whose father previously served as an advisor to a Hamas leader.
During the court proceedings, Giles stated there was no presented evidence linking Suri to any Hamas-related activities. The case has drawn attention amidst rising instances of investigations against academics and students advocating for Palestinian causes in US colleges.
Suri's release comes shortly after Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was also freed on bail, highlighting a worrying trend of crackdown on pro-Palestinian voices in academic settings. The ACLU has been involved in defending both individuals, advocating for their rights amidst fears of ongoing deportation efforts by authorities.
In a poignant response, Saleh expressed gratitude to the judge, emphasizing that advocating for peace and justice regarding Palestine should not be criminalized. As Suri returns home, the implications of his case continue to raise concerns over civil liberties in relation to academic freedom and activism within the US.
Suri, an Indian national, faced allegations from US authorities of having "connections to a known or suspected terrorist" and was accused of promoting Hamas propaganda. His lawyers argued he was targeted due to his support for Palestinian rights and familial ties to Gaza. Judge Giles dismissed the government's claims that Suri had ties to Hamas through his American wife, Mapheze Saleh, whose father previously served as an advisor to a Hamas leader.
During the court proceedings, Giles stated there was no presented evidence linking Suri to any Hamas-related activities. The case has drawn attention amidst rising instances of investigations against academics and students advocating for Palestinian causes in US colleges.
Suri's release comes shortly after Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was also freed on bail, highlighting a worrying trend of crackdown on pro-Palestinian voices in academic settings. The ACLU has been involved in defending both individuals, advocating for their rights amidst fears of ongoing deportation efforts by authorities.
In a poignant response, Saleh expressed gratitude to the judge, emphasizing that advocating for peace and justice regarding Palestine should not be criminalized. As Suri returns home, the implications of his case continue to raise concerns over civil liberties in relation to academic freedom and activism within the US.
