Two media rights groups are criticizing Burma's military government for refusing to free an imprisoned journalist and for censoring two weekly newspapers.
Reporters Without Borders and the Burma Media Association say 46 year old journalist Than Win Hlaing is ill after spending six years in prison.
The groups say prison authorities refuse to give him needed treatment for diabetes and kidney problems.
Than is serving a seven year sentence for offenses that include mentioning opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in one of his books.
The media groups also say the military government banned a number of New Year's greetings and photos of writers and journalists, which were to appear in the Yangon Post Journal. In addition, they say the military required the Weekly Eleven Journal to remove four names: Ludu Daw Amar, Ludu Sein Win, U Tay Za and Maung Than Sein from its list of the 15 leading personalities of 2005.
