The chief of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has renewed a call for Burma to free journalist U Win Tin who has been in prison since 1989.
Koichiro Matsuura said U Win Tin is in poor health and urged the Burmese government to show compassion and release him.
UNESCO awarded the journalist its Cano World Press Freedom Prize in 2001.
Earlier this month, the U.N. special envoy to Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinherio, also called for U Win Tin's unconditional release, saying his detention is severely affecting his health.
U Win Tin turned 76 this month. He was arrested in 1989 and is serving a 20-year sentence for writing anti-government propaganda.
