President Mohamed Morsy will soon issue a law that will give judicial and protective powers to the military, according to the state-run Al-Ahram website.
Drafted with the participation of army leaders, the law will task the armed forces with maintaining security and protecting vital installations in the state, until a new constitution takes effect and legitimate parliamentary elections are held.
Morsy gave himself law-making powers with no oversight in a constitutional declaration on 22 November.
The Cabinet approved the draft law after a meeting with Prime Minister Hesham Qandil.
According to Al-Ahram, the first article of the law says that the armed forces in coordination with the police are to maintain security and protect vital installations in the country until a constitution is in place and parliamentary elections are conducted.
The military are also to take over protection and maintain security at the request of the president, as well.
Artcle two stipulates that military officers and non-commissioned officers involved in the tasks of maintaining security and the protection of vital installations will have state judicial powers in performing this task, and allows them to use force to the extent necessary for the performance of their duty.
Article three says that military will then refer any criminal cases over to the appropriate specialized prosecutors, not from within the military judicial system.
Ahram said the law would take effect beginning the day after its publication.
