Participants in Egypt's National Accord Conference on Tuesday recommended the appointment of a civilian interior minister, informed sources have said.
The conference, which began 21 May, issued a draft of recommendations for Egypt's political future and the current transitional period. Participants included political activists, legal scholars and government officials.
High-ranking police officers have typically run Egypt's Interior Ministry since 1952, so hiring a civilian minister would mean selecting someone from outside the ministry.
The conference's draft called for restructuring popular committees formed during the 25 January revolution after police withdrew from the streets and restoring civil defense forces' security role.
It also called for stopping military trials of civilians and issuing a law incriminating all forms of torture or other human rights violations.
Participants called for reviewing the Camp David Accords, particularly the provisions that stipulate the amount of Egyptian military troops allowed in the Sinai.
The draft said suspects in physical or psychological torture cases should be put to immediate trial and dismissed from their positions, if indicted.
It included a call for a more active military role in communicating with Egyptians to improve understanding between them at this critical stage.
The conference further called for greater attention to scientific research, the independence of control authorities and a more active military role in implementing national projects.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
