TASHKENT, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan has suppressed the activities of members of banned Hizb ut-Tahrir organization in Andijan, Namangan, Ferghana regions of the country, the Internal Affairs Ministry said Thursday.
The ministry did not give further details such as the number of arrests, but said a criminal case has been opened against the suspects and an investigation is underway.
Most of the arrested persons had previously been convicted of participating in Hizb ut-Tahrir, but they continued spreading illegal propaganda of extremist ideas among the population, according to the ministry.
Literatures containing extremist contents were discovered and seized at the residential places of the arrested, it said.
The ministry also urged citizens, especially young people, "to avoid breaking the law, not to be exposed to destructive ideas, and not to store or distribute materials that pose a threat to public order."
Uzbekistan had blamed Hizb ut-Tahrir, for being involved in disturbances in the country's recent history. The organization is also banned in such countries as Russia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
