The euphoria of the Arab Spring has given way to abuses as new governments fail to respect freedom of expression and other basic rights, Human Rights Watch warned in its annual report Thursday.

The U.S.-based group urged the fledgling regimes of countries such as Egypt, Libya and Tunisia to build "genuine" democracies, saying that even democratically-elected governments did not have a mandate to ignore human rights.

Rival factions in Egypt on Thursday condemned the violence which has killed dozens in a week of unrest and pledged support for a national dialogue to resolve the political crisis gripping the country.

Top Islamic scholar Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb chaired talks between liberal opposition heads, Islamists, youth groups, independents and church members at the headquarters of al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning.

Two more people died in clashes between police and protesters near Cairo's Tahrir Square earlier this week, the health ministry said Thursday, bringing to 56 the number of deaths nationwide in a week of violence.

The two -- a 26-year-old male and another unidentified man -- were shot in the head and chest during clashes late on Tuesday night and succumbed to their wounds overnight, health ministry spokesman Ahmed Omar said.

Egyptian authorities on Wednesday detained suspected "Black Bloc" members as they protested an order by the public prosecutor to arrest anyone from the shadowy opposition group, Agence France Presse reported.

Riot police took into custody at least four protesters, who were wearing black masks, outside the public prosecutor's office in central Cairo, the journalist reported.

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi insisted in Berlin on Wednesday he had nothing against Judaism and that comments on Israel attributed to him before he was elected had been "taken out of context".

Speaking through an interpreter at a joint press conference after talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he said, as a Muslim, his faith compelled him to respect religions.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged the visiting Egyptian president Wednesday to ensure dialogue remains an option as his country grapples with a political crisis that has sparked deadly unrest.

Merkel told a joint press conference in Berlin with President Mohamed Morsi that Germany wanted a successful transformation process in Egypt, where Morsi took over last year, and was ready to help.

Two people died in clashes between protesters and police near Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, medics said.

Both of the victims, neither of whom was identified, were hit by buckshot.

Mohammed ElBaradei, a leading figure in the opposition National Salvation Front, called Wednesday for urgent talks with Egypt's leadership to address the political crisis gripping the country.

"We want an immediate meeting between the president, the ministers of defense and interior, the ruling party, the Salafist movement and the National Salvation Front to take urgent measures to end the violence and begin a serious dialogue," ElBaradei said in a tweet.

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi arrived in Germany on Wednesday for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel after days of unrest in his country.

Morsi was greeted with military honours and the two leaders are due to hold a joint press conference at 1345 GMT.

German financial aid to Egypt depends on progress on democracy in the country, Germany's foreign minister warned on Wednesday, hours before a scheduled visit by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.

Guido Westerwelle said on ARD public television that Berlin's offer of help "depends on advances in the democratic development in Egypt".