E/CN.4/1995/91 page 15 for that kind of building with the result that dwelling-houses have reportedly been converted into husseiniyyas. However, the authorities allegedly close or demolish them. The Special Rapporteur has been informed of the following case: - On 18 January 1993, police officers of al Mabahith al Amma (Criminal Investigation Department) allegedly raided the home of Abdullah al Marhoun in Al Qatif, alleging that his house was being used as a husseiniyya. Abdullah al Marhoun was reportedly evicted from his home and seals were placed upon the doors. Hussein Salch Abdul Jabbar, the contractor who reportedly built the house was said to have been arrested and briefly detained for questioning. According to some reports, there is interference with the religious practices of the Shiites. In February 1993, Sayyid Munir al Khabbag, a well-known scholar in the Shiite community in the Eastern Province, was allegedly interrogated by officers of the al Mababit al Amma and ordered to restrict the number of sermons which he normally preached in the mosques of the Province. The public use of the turba (holy soil) during prayer is allegedly prohibited. Anyone who disobeys this prohibition could be harassed and his turba confiscated. Books and other documents on non-Wahhabi beliefs, and in particular those favourable to Shiite Islam, are allegedly prohibited. The Ministry of Information reportedly has special responsibility for censoring books, magazines, newspapers and audio and video cassettes. Article 7 (a) of the 1982 Press and Publications Code reportedly prohibits the publication or distribution of any material which challenges ’the origins of Islam and its tolerant Shariah, or is harmful to public morals’. In practice, this provision is allegedly interpreted in a manner that permits censorship of any religious document not consistent with the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam. For example, all the works of the distinguished Saudi scholar, Sheikh Hassan Mussa al Saffar, have allegedly been banned even though they deal chiefly with cultural and religious matters. His book entitled al Huriyya wal Taadudiyya fil Islam (Freedom and Pluralism in Islam) was allegedly banned in 1990. Several persons have allegedly been arrested, imprisoned and tortured because they were found in possession of books and material about the Shiite faith. On 11 August 1988, Muhammad Jaafar Al Sheikh was allegedly arrested in Damman for having, according to some sources, printed Shiite prayer books at a local printing shop. In another case, Ali Ahmad al Shihab was reportedly arrested at the border with Bahrain and accused of smuggling in 17 copies of 2 books, one of which was a Shiite prayer book. The books were burnt before the investigation and trial. The court of Summary Jurisdiction, which allegedly tried the case, reportedly condemned Ali al Shihab to 8 months’ imprisonment and 180 lashes.