Secretary-General Condemns Deadly Violence in Egypt, Calling on All Leaders

to Put National Interest above Individual, Group, Political Aims

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the upsurge of violence in Egypt that has left scores dead and hundreds injured, following protests on Friday and Saturday.  He expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes the wounded a speedy recovery.

The Secretary-General once again calls on the interim authorities to assume full responsibility for the peaceful management of the demonstrations and ensure the protection of all Egyptians.  Egypt’s security forces must act with full respect for human rights, including guaranteeing the rights to free speech and assembly.  He also urges the demonstrators to exercise restraint and preserve the peaceful nature of their protests.

The Secretary-General appeals to all the people of Egypt to address their differences through dialogue and again renews his calls to all parties to engage in an inclusive and meaningful reconciliation process.  The Secretary-General underlines that violence is not a substitute for a political solution and, therefore, calls on all Egyptian leaders to put the interest of Egypt above all individual, group and political interests.

The Secretary-General reiterates that Mr. Mohamed Morsy and Muslim Brotherhood leaders currently in detention should immediately be released or have their cases reviewed in full transparency.

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For information media • not an official record