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(CNN)...China has released nine tourists who had been detained on suspicion of alleged links to terror groups because they watched a documentary on Genghis Khan in their hotel rooms, a press release distributed by the families said.
The visitors, from the United Kingdom, South Africa and India, were expected back home at the weekend.
The tourists, who had been on a 47-day luxury tour of China, were detained due to a "misunderstanding," the statement said, after the film on the Mongolian historical figure was mistaken for "propaganda."
"No one in the group has been charged and it is believed the reason they were arrested was because of an unfortunate misunderstanding," the statement said.
"They watched a BBC documentary video on Genghis Khan to further their understanding of the region they were in at the time, and this may have mistakenly been deemed as 'propaganda' material. The group visited the Genghis Khan Mausoleum in Ordos (in Inner Mongolia) on the day before their arrest."
Eleven of their travel companions, who were arrested alongside the nine, had previously been deported.
Chinese authorities said Wednesday that the group was arrested for "violating laws and committing crimes."
Law-abiding tourists
Gift of the Givers the charity that organized the tour, said that China had originally detained some of the group because of suspicions of alleged links to terror groups. It stressed they had no terror links or criminal records.
"Twenty foreigners were suspected of violating laws and committing crimes in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, on July 11," China's foreign ministry said in a written statement to CNN.
The ministry did not address CNN's question on the reason for their detention.
"The case is under investigation. China will guarantee the legitimate rights of relevant people in accordance with law, and will continue to provide necessary convenience and assistance to counselor officials of foreign embassies, " the ministry added.
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