Commemorating the 37th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan, the National Human Rights Museum (NHRM) has launched an online exhibition showcasing the former Taiwan Military Prison of the Ministry of National Defense, also known as Xindian Military Prison (now the Xindian Drug Abuser Treatment Center of the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice). This prison was one of the locations where political victims were held during the White Terror period.
Originally situated on Qingdao East Road (青島東路) of Zhongzheng District (中正區) in Taipei City, the Taiwan Military Prison of the Ministry of National Defense relocated to the Ankeng area of Xindian District (新店區) in New Taipei City in 1952. The prison adopts the Pennsylvania system—a penal method based on the principle that solitary confinement—with five cellblocks laid out in a radial pattern.
Notable figures detained there include Lei Chen (雷震), Chen Ming-chung (陳明忠), Yen Hsiu-feng (嚴秀峰), and Li Pi-hsia (李碧霞), as well as leaders from the Formosa Incident such as Huang Hsin-chieh (黃信介) and Yao Chia-wen (姚嘉文). It was the longest-operating prison during the authoritarian regime.
Utilizing advanced digital technologies such as 3D scanning, modeling, and landscaping, this exhibition allows the public to virtually explore the site using computers or mobile devices. To visit the exhibition, please go to https://flying.myds.me/XindianMilitaryPrison/.