[JURIST] The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] on Thursday urged Egyptian authorities to apply law and order in addition to safety and security in addressing the protests arising after the military’s ouster [JURIST report] of president Mohamed Morsi [official BBC profile; JURIST news archive]. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [official website] urged [official statement] for “a meaningful national dialogue and an inclusive reconciliation process”. The UN SG also called for interim authorities to end arbitrary arrests and other forms of harassment.

The Egyptian military deposed Morsi earlier his month amid protests and demonstrations calling for his resignation for his alleged failure to address economic and security issues during his one-year tenure as president. Egypt has faced political unrest since the Egyptian Revolution [JURIST backgrounder] began over two years ago. Earlier this week Egyptian blogger Ahmed Douma, who had been sentenced to six months in prison for insulting Morsi, was released [JURIST report] according to the state news agency MENA. Earlier in July Egyptian authorities shut down [JURIST report] four Islamist-run television stations it viewed as sympathetic to Morsi. In the same timeframe the Chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, Adly Mansour, on took the oath [JURIST report] to become the interim head of state after the Egyptian military deposed Morsi.