E/CN.4/1992/52
page 41
The Grand Ayatollah is said to have been brought back to Kufa on
23 March 1991. Upon his return to Kufa, the Grand Ayatollah, who was in the
habit of receiving Shia Muslims from all over the world, is reported to have
been placed under house arrest and is allegedly no longer allowed to receive
visitors, while his residence is said to be surrounded by armed men. It has
also been reported that the Grand Ayatullah's son, Sayyid Muhammad Taghi
Al-Khoei, the only member of his family allowed to see him, is also under
house arrest with his father. Requests for relatives to see the
Grand Ayatollah in view of his state of health are said to have been turned
down. A number of other relatives are said to still be detained and there is
no news of their whereabouts.
As the movements of the Grand Ayatollah, who is Rector of the Theology
Centre of Najaf and has supervized advanced post-graduate studies for the past
50 years are restricted, teaching at this institution has reportedly come to a
standstill.
The following eight aides to the Grand Ayatollah were arrested with him
and are reportedly still under detention:
Sayyid Mohammad Reza Mousavi al-Khalkhali
Sayyid Ja'far Bahrul Uloom
Sayyid 'Izzaddin Bahrul Uloom
Sayyid Muhyaddin al-Ghuraif
Sayyid Muhammad Ridha al-Kharsan
Sayyid Muhammad al-Sabzwari
Sayyid Muhammad Ridha al-Sa'idi
Sayyid Muhammad Saleh 'Abd al-Rasul al-Kharsan.
The first three of the above-mentioned religious scholars are believed to
be detained at an undisclosed location in Baghdad. The whereabouts and fate
of the other five have been unknown since 21 March 1991. It is feared that
some may have been killed or that they are being subjected to torture and risk
execution.
The Special Rapporteur has also received allegations concerning the
detention of another senior Grand Ayatollah, Sayyid Abdul al-Sabzwari, the
father of Sayyid Muhammad al-Sabzwari mentioned above. It has been reported
that he is over 75 years old and is known to be in bad health."
53. In a communication sent on 14 June 1991 addressed to the Government of
Iraq, the following information was transmitted by the Special Rapporteur: