OSI Responds to Reports from Tehran on "Admissions" by American Citizen Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh

Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh

Press Release
June 6, 2007

Contact:

Laura Silber
lsilber@sorosny.org
1-212-548-0640

NEW YORK—The Open Society Institute dismisses reports of alleged admissions attributed to the scholar being held against his will in a notorious Iranian prison. Any information obtained through these interrogations cannot be given credence.

Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian American dual citizen, has not seen a lawyer or family since he was detained on May 11 in Iran’s Evin prison.

Prior to his detention, Dr. Tajbakhsh’s work for the Open Society Institute focused on public health, humanitarian relief, culture, and local government.

None of OSI’s or Dr. Tajbakhsh’s Iran activities have been funded or initiated by the U.S. government. Indeed, the Iranian authorities themselves requested the help of the Open Society Institute in the fields of public health and earthquake relief.

OSI and Dr. Tajbakhsh have consistently opposed the escalation of the tensions between the United States and Iran.

We call for the immediate release of Dr. Tajbakhsh.

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The Open Society Institute, a private operating and grantmaking foundation established by George Soros, works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. To achieve its mission, OSI seeks to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. OSI works in over 60 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as in the United States.