Many of you have left comments when signing the petition. We are gathering these statements and sharing them with his family, and will add a page for them soon.  Thank you for your support.  In the meantime, here are some of the words people have written about Kian:

Kian Tajbakhsh is a scholar, man of letters, musician and a peace-loving human being. To arrest and imprison such a man is a condemnable act. He must be released immediately to return home to his family — to his wife who will be delivering their child very soon.
-Bina Sarkar Ellias, Editor/Publisher, Gallerie magazine, India

The arbitrary detention of any citizen is a crime, but the arbitrary detention of a scholar working for the good of his country hurts us all.
-Leslie Pal, Carleton University, Canada

Kian is a brilliant scholar and dear friend to all of us. His extraordinary public service and scholarly contributions deserve to be treated as national treasures.
-Pamela Kilpadi, Hungary

Kian Tajbakhsh is a well-respected scholar and public intellectual. It is a disgrace for the Iranian government to have detained this fine scholar. He should be released immediately.
-Ayse Gul Altinay, Sabanci University, Turkey

This is an outrage. This wonderful man, who cares DEEPLY about Iran, should be freed.
-Karen Misencik, USA

I know Kian and I know he is a staunch supporter of the Iranian people.
-Elliott Sclar, Columbia University, USA

We urgently ask the Iranian government to release Dr. Tajbakhsh and ensure his safe return to his family.
-Taraneh Mamhoudi, Iran

Kian was my student at Columbia. He has a strong academic record, and is widely respected internationally. It will help Iran’s standing internationally if it frees him promptly.
-Peter Marcuse, Columbia University, USA

Please release Kian Tajbakhsh. He is a gentle person, an intelligent man whose talents are wasted in prison.
-Colleen McGuire, National Lawyers Guild, USA

Iran has always been a cradle of civilization. It’s time the current regime in Tehran understands civilization also mean freedom! Please free Kian.
-Pervaiz Alam, India-EU Film Initiative, India

I urge that Kian be released immediately. He is a valuable resource to Iran and should be treated with respect and honor and allowed to teach Iranian students of urban planning.
-Rachel Bratt, Tufts University, USA

Dr. Tajbakshsh is an eminent scholar and a fine person.
-Susan Fainstein, Harvard University, USA

We urgently request the release of Dr. Tajbakhsh and ensure his safe return to his family.
-Syed Ali, International Policy Fellow, Pakistan

Kian Tajbakhsh’s release is essential not only to the preservation of the principles of intellectual freedom. His detainment also detains progress in economic and social development where it is most needed.
-Laurie Goldman, Tufts University, USA

There is no justification for incarcerating Dr. Kian Tabakhsh who is an outstanding scholar, planner, and humanist. Please do not diminish the standing of the great civilized country that Iran is by letting such injustice on on. Free Kian Tabakhsh!
-Luc Nadal, Columbia University, France

Kian is a wonderful person and a well reputed scholar. In my discussions with him, I found in him a deeply patriotic Iranian, although he had differences with the regime. His detension, without any charge, is highly condemnable. He must be released immediately.
-Mukhtar Ali, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, Pakistan

Kian Tadjbakhsh is a respected scholar and decent human being who loves his country. He must be freed immediately!
-Valentine Moghadam, Purdue University, USA

I call for the immediate release of Dr. Kian.
-Sebastian Sanga, International Policy Fellow, Tanzania

Dr. Kian is not an Iranian alone; a person of his wisdom, stature and personality belongs to the world. The Iranian government should show that they are a real Muslim state by respecting scholars, which are revered in Islam.
-Fauzia Yazdani, International Policy Fellow, Pakistan.

Free Dr Tajbakhsh! His work is so valuable to Iran!
-Elizabeth Mueller, University of Texas, USA

As former Dean at the New School where Kian was Assistant Professor, I am very concerned that he has been detained and urge his immediate release.
-Jack Krauskopf, City University of New York, USA

Kian is an outstanding scholar whose work helps to reveal assumptions in the West often unstated. It is tragic that he has been detained.
-Jonathan Diskin, Earlham College, USA

I met Kian once and was instantly impressed with his dignity and decency. He is not only one who takes his work, to better others’ lives, seriously. He also misses no opportunity to engage acquaintances and friends, to make them feel worthy.
-Peter Pullman, USA

I know Kian well. He is a person of great integrity. It is an outrage that he is now detained.
-Philip Thompson, MIT, USA

Kian was my colleague at the New School and a contributor to Social Research which I edit. I know him to be a serious scholar and researcher whose devotion to Iran led him to return to work and contribute to the intellectual life of the country. It is an outrage that this country he loves so much has imprisoned him without cause.
-Arien Mack, The New School, USA