Hassan Ibrahim Shubber

Was imprisoned many times, the worst of which was in October 1971. He spent many months in Al Nihaya Palace Prison. His torture was supervised a number of times by the infamous Head of Intelligence, Nadhim Gzaar, who accused him of being a member of the Islamic Da’awa Party. In 1979, his eldest son Riyadh was arrested on the same charge and executed. Hassans’ father-in-law, Qassim Shubber, a Shiite scholar was also executed despite being more than 70 years old. This testimony was recorded in Baghdad on May 15th 2004.

interview

10.04.27
He was swearing and laughing at me. “The dogs at Al Nihaya Palace prison will feast on your flesh today,” he said. They did keep dogs there that they let loose on prisoners. I remained silent. He taunted me, “What would you like me to cut off first, legs, hands, sexual organs, or ears?” I said ”You can cut off my head if you wish. He could see that I was unshaken. He then asked how many children I had. “Eight”. “Don’t you want to see them again?” “Yes, I do”. “If you confess I will let you speak to them now on the phone and you can go home afterwards”. I replied, “I have nothing to say.”
10.05.43

Missing section

10.07.05 My Sons’ Story

10.07.11
It was dawn of November 13, 1979. The night before, my son used my car to distribute anti-government leaflets in (Shu’la) district. They must have followed him. Some regime thugs raided our house that dawn. Riyadh was beside me when I opened the door .The first question was who owned the car? Then, what was my name? When Riyadh told them his name they arrested him.
10.07.57

10.08.00
He said, “Riyadh sends his regards.” I pulled him inside the house and asked him who he was. He replied, “I’m a prison guard. Riyadh is in prison.” I asked what his sentence was. “Six years,” he replied. I told him, “If my wife asks tell her his sentence is six months.” He agreed. His mother was upset that it was six months and said, “How will the six months pass. He’s already spent four months inside?” I gave the man 20 Dinars, to thank him for bringing us news of Riyadh. I asked if he would take some pajamas for him. He said there was no need! I was immediately suspicious. I asked my wife to make us tea. I wanted her to leave the room. But she must have stayed behind the door. I asked the man if Riyadh was to be executed. When he said yes, my wife hit her head against a bookcase, breaking the glass doors. A few days later we got a phone call ordering us to report to the Intelligence headquarters in Khadhmiya district. There, an officer asked me first whether Riyadh had relatives in the Ba’ath party. Then he told me that Riyadh had been executed. He asked me where we would bury him. “In Najaf,” I said. He said we were not allowed to have a funeral for Riyadh or even receive any well-wishers at home. I agreed.
10.10.47