The United States opposes arbitrary arrests and detentions, and believes that those in Egypt who have been arrested and not charged should be released, White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Wednesday.
“We are in constant conversation with the transitional government in Egypt, and we believe it is important for Egypt’s future that the leaders of the transitional government fulfill the claims they made about their intentions of moving Egypt back toward a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible and one that is reflective of the broad desires of the Egyptian populace and not just a segment of that population,” Carney said.
During a separate State Department briefing, deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said U.S. officials have continued to urge the Egyptian interim government officials and security forces to respect the right of peaceful assembly.