[JURIST] Egyptian authorities on Tuesday arrested Mohammed Badie, the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. Egyptian authorities ordered the arrest [JURIST report] of Badie after escalating violence last month resulted in over 50 deaths. Badie was taken to Torah prision in Cairo, where other members of the Brotherhood and former president Mohamed Morsi [official BBC profile; JURIST news archive] are being held. His arrest is the latest move in a concerted effort to subdue the Brotherhood and restore order to the state.

Although Egypt has faced political unrest since the Egyptian Revolution [JURIST backgrounder] began over two years ago, the conflict peaked last month after the Egyptian military deposed [JURIST report] Morsi, in addition to suspending the nation’s constitution and installing an interim government. The Chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, Adly Mansour [BBC profile], subsequently took the oath [JURIST report] to become the interim head of state. Only one day after Morsi was ousted, Egyptian authorities shut down four Islamist-run television stations [JURIST report], causing concern among groups such as Amnesty International [advocacy website]. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] last month urged Egyptian authorities [JURIST report] to address the escalating violence. According to the OHCHR more than 80 people have been killed and over 1000 injured since political turmoil gripped the nation last month. Earlier this week, the Egyptian prime minister proposed formally dissolving [JURIST report] the non-governmental organization registration of the Muslim Brotherhood in an effort to force the group underground.