The company that runs Australia's asylum seeker detention centres in Papua New Guinea and Nauru has reportedly forbidden its staff from joining political parties or churches that oppose Australia's policy of offshore processing.
The newspaper, The Guardian, reports that Transfield Services has also cautioned staff not to "embarrass" the company or the government, or reveal how asylum seekers are treated.
It has also warned that staff could be fired as a result of who their friends are on Facebook or who follows them on Twitter.
Asylum seekers in Manus Island camp Photo: supplied
Despite the restrictions, however, conditions on Manus Island and Nauru have been exposed by pictures, video and testimony from inside the detention centres.
A recent review by Australia's immigration department found credible allegations of sexual and physical abuse of asylum seekers on Nauru, which prompted the Senate to vote to establish a committee to inquire about conditions on the island.