Turkish scientist Furkan Dölek was released from U.S. custody Tuesday on $50,000 bail, according to representatives following his case.
Seyit Şahin, Chairman of the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) and a lawyer, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Dölek was freed pending trial from a detention facility in El Paso, Texas near the Mexican border and later traveled to Chicago with his attorney.
In a joint statement, Şahin and attorney Michael Gökhan Kıran, who are voluntarily monitoring the case on behalf of TASC, said: "It is our responsibility to defend the rights of the Turkish American community. Dr. Furkan Dölek’s regaining his freedom is the natural outcome of this responsibility.”
With support mobilized by TASC, the Turkish-American community raised the bail amount in a short time. Dölek will reside in Chicago while his legal process continues.
Dölek, a Turkish scientist who had conducted postdoctoral research at Virginia Tech and at CERN in Switzerland, later carried out work at Fermilab, the U.S. Department of Energy’s national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research located near Chicago, Illinois, where in March 2024 he reported irregularities, unsafe conditions and potential radioactive exposure affecting staff.
After publicly sharing his findings with authorities and on social media, Dölek was dismissed from Fermilab in April that year and had his research visa revoked.
He later documented his experiences on LinkedIn, revealing that he had witnessed "exploited researchers forced to work under unsafe conditions,” with "the most vulnerable left unprotected while misconduct was covered up” and "fraud and retaliation against anyone who dared to speak.”
"I reported it through every official whistleblower channel. Instead of protection, I was punished: false charges, dismissal and total institutional silence,” Dölek added.
He filed a lawsuit against the visa cancellation but following unsuccessful legal proceedings had been living in the country without valid documentation for several months.
In protest, he began a march toward Canada in late August of this year, which drew significant attention on social media, especially among academic and Turkish-American circles.
After his last social media post on Aug. 27, Dölek went missing. Following inquiries by the Turkish Consulate General in New York City, authorities confirmed on Sept. 4 that he was being held at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in New York.
