Prisons Museum
Prisons Museum is a digital documentation project focusing on detention facilities in conflict zones, primarily in Syria and Iraq. Established in 2024, it maintains online archives of prisons operated by both the Islamic State (ISIS) and the Syrian government during their respective periods of control.[1][2]
Overview
The project operates two primary online archives: the ISIS Prisons Museum (IPM) and the Syria Prisons Museum (SPM). These digital repositories contain 3D reconstructions of detention sites, documentary evidence, and witness testimonies.[3]
Projects
ISIS Prisons Museum (IPM)
Launched in October 2024, the IPM documents detention facilities operated by ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The archive includes:[1][4]
- 3D models of prison buildings
- Administrative documents recovered from former ISIS sites
- Approximately 500 interviews with former detainees
- Detailed investigations of specific prison sites[5]
Notable documented sites include prisons in Mosul, Iraq and Raqqa, Syria, along with documentation of the Shaitat Massacre.[2][6]
Syria Prisons Museum (SPM)
Initiated following the fall of the Syrian government in December 2024, the SPM focuses on state-run detention facilities. Its first published case study examined Sednaya Prison near Damascus, a facility associated with mass executions during the Syrian conflict.[3][7][8]
History
The project originated from documentation work by the AlShare Media Foundation, a Syrian collective that recorded human rights violations during the conflict. Beginning in 2017, researchers expanded their focus to include systematic documentation of detention sites.[1][9]
Documentation and access
The project employs multiple documentation methods:[1][4][8]
- Architectural recording of detention sites using photography and 3D scanning
- Collection and preservation of administrative documents from abandoned facilities
- Structured interviews with former detainees
- Verification through satellite imagery analysis
All published materials redact identifying information about detainees and witnesses. Public presentations have included a 2024 exhibition at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. A planned platform called "Jawab" aims to assist families of missing persons.[1]
Access to sensitive materials is restricted to:[3]
- Qualified academic researchers
- Accredited human rights investigators
- Authorized judicial representatives
Public engagement
Public presentations have included a 2024 exhibition at UNESCO headquarters in Paris[2] and the development of the platform called "Jawab" to assist families of missing persons.[1][10] The project has been noted for its role in transitional justice efforts in post-conflict Syria.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "The Virtual ISIS Prisons Museum | SyriaUntold | حكاية ما انحكت". SyriaUntold. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ a b c "ISIS Prisons Museum: Documenting the horrors of Islamic State detention centers". The Jerusalem Post. 2024-11-12. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ a b c "About Sednaya Prison and Our Documents | SyriaUntold | حكاية ما انحكت". Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ a b "BBC News - The Media Show, ISIS Prisons Museum". BBC. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "isisprisons".
- ^ a b "newarab".
- ^ "BBC Audio | The Explanation | The Media Show: ISIS Prisons Museum". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ a b "BBC Audio | The Explanation | The Media Show: Russia's alleged influencer propaganda plot". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ Jones, Michael Owen (2017). "Eating behind Bars: On Punishment, Resistance, Policy, and Applied Folkloristics". The Journal of American Folklore. 130 (515): 72–108. doi:10.5406/jamerfolk.130.515.0072. ISSN 0021-8715. JSTOR 10.5406/jamerfolk.130.515.0072.
- ^ "Iraqis, Syrians document survival stories in virtual Daesh prison museum". Middle East Monitor. 2024-11-11. Retrieved 2025-05-07.