Furkan Dölek, a Turkish scientist who had been missing for more than a week, was found at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in New York following the intervention of Turkish diplomatic officials.
Dölek’s sister, Esra Dölek Coşkun, expressed gratitude to officials from Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country’s New York Consulate General for their assistance in locating her brother.
Coşkun said Dölek was transferred to the Buffalo detention facility and has not yet been assigned a court date. She added that during a recent phone conversation, her brother sounded well, and the family’s main priority is ensuring his swift return to Türkiye.
According to Coşkun, the consulate general in New York is closely monitoring the situation and keeping the family regularly updated.
Dölek, whose U.S. visa was reportedly revoked, had begun a protest walk toward Canada when he was detained. In his last LinkedIn post on Aug. 27, he wrote: “I've walked all the way from Massena and right now I'm in Akwesasne, I'm exhausted, my legs are burning and I've got blisters on my feet, but I'm grateful to have made it this far.”
The scientist had previously used LinkedIn to allege workplace exploitation of researchers, claiming that vulnerable individuals were not protected, misconduct was covered up and whistleblowers faced retaliation. Dölek said he reported these issues through official channels but was instead punished and dismissed, facing what he described as unfair accusations.
