The Open Society Institute is deeply dismayed by the charges of spying announced this week in Iran against Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh, an internationally respected scholar who is an American citizen. These charges are entirely without merit.
Iranian authorities should ensure that the International Committee of the Red Cross is granted immediate access to visit Dr. Tajbakhsh in prison to monitor his health.
Dr. Tajbakhsh was a consultant for the Open Society Institute from 2004 to May 2007. He is a distinguished expert on public health, humanitarian assistance and urban planning initiatives in Iran. Though he discontinued his service for OSI, we remain concerned about his well-being. We urge the Iranian authorities to release Dr. Tajbakhsh immediately.