DUSHANBE , January 16, Asia-Plus -- In 2005, Tajikistan ’s prosecutors instituted 74 criminal proceedings against 99 activists, including 16 women, of the outlawed religious extremist “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organization, First Deputy Prosecutor-General, Abdusami Dadaboyev, told journalists in Dushanbe on January 16. 

According to him, it is 36 proceedings more compared to 2004, when 38 criminal proceedings against 99 members of the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” organizations were instituted in the republic.

“Among the Hizb ut-Tahrir members arrested last year were several top figures in the Hizb ut-Tahrir network in the republic,” said Dadaboyev, “At present, prosecutor are investigating the case of deputy head of the Hizb ut-Tahrir network in the republic and head of the Hizb ut-Tahrir cell for Sughd Province .”         

            According to Dadaboyev, detained members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization mainly faced charges of public calls for overthrowing constitutional system in Tajikistan and spread of subversive literature and leaflets and were sentenced to prison terms ranging fro five to six year.