A group of Kian’s former colleagues from the New School have written a letter to the Iranian authorities on his behalf.  They delivered it today to the Iranian mission to the United Nations:

We write this letter as former colleagues of Dr. Kian Tajbakhsh at the Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy at The New School in New York City, where he taught graduate and undergraduate courses for more than seven years. We are deeply concerned about Dr. Tajbakhsh’s imprisonment and the charges leveled against him. He is a scholar and teacher of the highest caliber and an individual of integrity.

The charges filed against Dr. Tajbakhsh run completely counter to his character and lifelong commitment as a researcher, scholar, teacher, and colleague. We urge you to drop the charges and release him from prison immediately.

Sincerely,

Howard Berliner, ScD.
Professor of Health Policy
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Robert A. Beauregard, PhD.
Professor of Urban Planning
Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation
Columbia University
(former Milano professor)

Anne-Emanuelle Birn, MA, ScD,
Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in International Health
University of Toronto
(former Milano professor)

David Brown, JD
Writer and editor
(former Milano professor)

Susan Cane
Organizational Development Consultant
(former Milano Professor)

Peter Eisinger, Ph.D.
Henry Cohen Professor
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Marianne C. Fahs, PhD, MPH
Professor of Urban Public Health
Hunter College, City University of New York
(former Milano professor)

Alec Ian Gershberg, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Darrick Hamilton, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Karla L. Hanson, Ph.D.
Research Associate
Cornell University
(former Milano professor)

David R. Howell
Professor of Economics
Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy

Jack Krauskopf,
Distinguished School of Public Affairs,
Baruch College, City University of New York
(former Milano Dean)

Mark Lipton, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair,
Graduate Management Programs
Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy

Lynn McCormick
Associate Professor
Department of Urban Planning
Hunter College, City University of New York

Elizabeth J. Mueller, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of
Community and Regional Planning and Social Work
University of Texas at Austin
(former Milano professor)

Stephanie Nickerson, Ph.D.
Independent Instructional Consultant
(former Milano professor)

Alice M. Rivlin, Ph.D.
The Brookings Institution and Georgetown University
(former Milano professor)

Alex F. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair, Policy Programs
Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy

Lisa Servon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Nidhi Srinivas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Avis C. Vidal, Ph.D.
Department of Geography & Urban Planning
Wayne State University
(former Milano Professor)

Antonin Wagner, Ph.D.
Professor of Professional Practice
Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy

Tatiana Wah, PhD
Assistant Professor
Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy