Ebrat Museum
English: Ebrat Museum of Iran Ebrat Musuem has founded in 2002. This Musuem promotes useful knowledge about political prisoners and Anti Sabotage Joint Committee of Mohammad Reza Shah through excellence in Scholarly Research, Publication, Cultural products and Translation. To achieve the above mentioned goals, Ebrat Musuem has established the department of Research Affairs, the department of Translation (Translating of books & Articles from Persian to English language), the department of Publications,andthe department of Oral History. Ebrat Museum at a glance There are numerous points about the Iran Ebrat Museum, a one-time prison of the shah’s brutal secret police that now exhibits that brutality in form of documentary. The prison is historically attractive building, with wings radiating from a circular centre. A Short History In 1932, the construction of a building to confine the prisoners called House of Detention was commenced by the German engineers and designers upon the order of Reza Shah. The structure was completed in 1937. From the beginning of its construction, this structure had several protective layers which made it impossible for the prisoners to escape. All the walls and angles were designed in broken geometric forms in a way that no angle was clearly detectable and that there was no way out for the prisoners. Another reason for designing the broken geometric walls and angles was to create a natural acoustic mode to make any penetration of sound impossible. So, the woes and cries of the prisoners were stifled within the walls of the prison. These characteristics sufficed to turn this place into a horrendous prison in which the most abominable and merciless tortures were inflicted upon the detainees. This detention center later continued to function under the names ‘temporary prison’, ‘women’s prison’ and the ‘joint committee detention center’. In those days, the system of intelligence-security for intelligence collection from the target country did not exist and Reza Shah obtained all required intelligence from the security police later to be known as shahrbani. At all events, the repression of the dissidents and critics of the ruling regime was still in progress inside the country and the security system of Reza Shah seized every opportunity and every person to suppress the protesters; among such people was a notorious man known as Dr Ahmadi who had a little knowledge of medicine and killed the dissidents by giving them poisonous or air injection.. Following the year 1941 and with the coming to power of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, some new changes took place as to crush the dissents of the regime and the traditional system was replaced by advanced ones. Towards the late fifties, Reza Shah set up a secret police called Kuk Pursuant to the 1953 coup, the Americans decided to use Iran as their regional base. So, the idea of establishing SAVAK (Security and intelligence Organization) was proposed by ten American counselors in 1956 and approved by the then Parliament. Eventually, in 1957, the SAVAK was established with a one-page bylaw and myriad authorities. The SAVAK members were trained by US and British intelligence agencies and later by Israeli security agents. In the same period, at the request of Shapur Jay (the British representative in Iran) who was highly favored by the British queen, it was determined that General Fardoust take a trip to England with a view to receive proper training. Upon returning from England, he started a special intelligence book in which 500 to 600 pages of report were squeezed into two or three pages and brought to the attention of the Shah every day. According to the agreements, two copies of these pieces of intelligence should be sent to the US and British embassies in Tehran. The implication is that the shah wielded but little influence in making decisions and that he had the slightest authority. In the seventies, the Israeli counselors took active roles in training the SAVAK agents. Anti- Sabotage Joint Committee Following the 1963 revolt led by the late Imam Khomeini and the merciless and bloody repression of it by the agents of the ruling regime, popular struggles against the puppet regime increased. The absence of coordination between the military and security forces in crushing the freedom fighters was basically caused by their desire to surpass one another in offering better services to the ruling regime. The regime decided to set up a new organization with the purpose of identifying, arresting, torturing and killing its dissidents. So, to achieve this end, in January of 1972, the idea of anti-sabotage joint committee consisting of SAVAK, and Military agents as well as representatives from the gendarmerie and the army came into bud. There were 375 organizational posts in the joint anti-sabotage committee which later amounted to 564. This committee had branches in other provinces led and commanded by the headquarters. After all, the security agency (SAVAK) had taken shape under the training of CIA, Mossad and Intelligence service. Instead of safeguarding the interests and security of people, they spent great amount of money to crush the freedom fighters whose ideal goal was to gain independence, freedom, and to establish a government based on justice for all. This was a center for the most merciless, the most psychotic torturers of the ruling regime. Location Covering 6000 square meters, this detention center was built in three stories. The joint committee prison consisted of four solitary wards, containing 86 cells (1.5x2.5m) and two public wards containing 18 cells the largest of which was 30 square meters which accommodated 30 prisoners. The detention center was designed to confine 200 prisoners; however, 800 prisoners were generally kept therein. Since this building was constructed as a detention center, it was made in a way that the smallest sound could not penetrate the walls. But which walls or barriers could imprison the voice of the freedom fighters and the campaigners for truth? Horrible Torture During its short life, that is, since its inception until the victory of the Islamic revolution, the detention center of the Pahlavi joint committee had incarcerated thousands of freedom fighters and brave men and women of this land many of whom died under the severest torture which was practiced in more than 74 methods. Among the prominent figures who had been incarcerated in this prison, can be mentioned the supreme leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Martyr Mohammad Ali Rajaee (the second president of the Islamic republic), Martyr Bahonar (prime minister), Ayatollah Beheshti, Ayatollah Motahari and Ayatollah Taleghani. Besides, many of those who occupy high governmental seats have been incarcerated here. The prisoners were from all walks of life: workers, craftsmen, clerics, teachers, bazaaris, doctors, engineers, writers, students, and women. The youngest prisoner who was martyred here was 13 years old and the oldest one was 70. Services Ebrat Museum is working on political prisoners issues, specially in suppling cultural & social news ,reports ,interviews,articles,books,CDs and to do research as well. The Department of Research Affairs plans and supervises research and Translation works on Political Prisoners at large and specially those pertaining to Anti Sabotage Joint Committee of Mohammad Reza Shah. Visiting Hours tours starting 10am & 2pm every day 11 Martyr Yarjani St, Kushk Mesri St.Ferdousi Ave.Imam Khomeini Sq Tehran,Islamic Republic of Iran Tel:+ 9821 – 66722096-8 Fax:+ 9821 – 66727597 www.ebratmuseum.ir info@ebratmuseum.ir SMS:300021002100