A DRACONIAN new Greek law has been branded a chilling attempt to gag non-government aid workers and volunteers from speaking out about the neglect and abuse of refugees languishing in squalid camps.

The legislation places restrictions on camp workers, banning them from publicly sharing any information related to residents or operations there.

The gagging order requires any government employee witnessing abuse to report it to a senior member of staff but no-one else. The law applies even after people have stopped working in a refugee camp.

One non-government organisation (NGO) worker, who asked to remain unnamed, told Forbes magazine that the new law was “crazy” but doubted that it would stop information from getting out.

“The residents will get the word out, but if it is the case [that this law is real], it just highlights how draconian the new regime is. It’s an easy way to remove or prosecute NGOs and volunteers,” the worker said.

The right-wing New Democracy government has led a crackdown on NGOs, with offices raided and equipment confiscated.

Earlier this year, it forced NGOs to register to be able to continue their work, a move that critics described as a bid to shut the groups down and make it harder to support refugees.