Amna Suraka Museum

Address: Amna Suraka (Red Prison), Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan

Amna Suraka is a former security headquarters and prison in Sulaymaniyah Governorate that has been converted into a museum documenting political repression and atrocities committed against Kurdish communities during the 20th century.

The site contains preserved cells, documentary exhibitions, photographs and memorial displays that record torture, detentions and the victims associated with the building’s use by security services. The complex and its displays are presented as both a historical record and a memorial.

The building was used by Iraq’s internal security services as a detention and interrogation centre during the Ba’athist period and other periods of internal conflict; after changes in local control it was transformed into a museum and memorial to those held and killed there.

Amna Suraka sits in the city of Sulaymaniyah in northeastern Iraq and is accessible from the city centre; it is a prominent civic and historic site in Sulaymaniyah.

• Content warning: Exhibits are graphic and focus on detention, torture and the experience of Kurdish prisoners under successive regimes; visitors should expect explicit photographic displays and preserved cells.

What to See#

• Red Building (main structure): The former security headquarters and prison building, commonly called the Red Building, now houses exhibits and preserved cells documenting political repression and conflict involving Kurdish populations.

Amna Suraka is in central Sulaymaniyah; taxis from the city center take about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic. International visitors should check local security advisories and consider a Kurdish local guide for context and safety.

• Prepare emotionally - the exhibits document brutal torture and are explicit; many visitors find the experience intense.
• Hire a local guide or contact the museum for background context; language and regional history matter to understanding the displays.
• Photography may be restricted-ask permission to avoid upsetting survivors or local visitors.