Shafaq News / Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered on Thursday the formation of a fact-finding committee into the existence of secret government prisons in which protesters are held in.

“Al- Kadhimi decided to form a supreme committee headed by Lieutenant General Othman Al-Ghanmi, the Minister of Interior to investigate the facts about the existence of secret government prisons in which demonstrators are being held,” An office order signed by Al-Kadhimi obtained by Shafaq News Agency stated.

Al-Kadhimi also decided, "Authorizing the committee to send inspection teams allowed to enter any security institution or building suspected of having a secret prison inside it."

According to the office order, it is to be implemented from the date of its issuance, which is today, Thursday.

Over the past months, activists in the protests have accused suspected militants in Shiite factions close to Iran of kidnapping their follow activists, holding them in secret prisons and subjecting them to torture.

There is also a widespread belief in the country that armed factions are now secretly running security and other governmental institutions in what is known as the "deep state" through which they have wide military influence and political cover secured by their political arms.