Jailed Myanmar journalist gets pres

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Subject: Jailed Myanmar journalist gets press freedom prize

Jailed Myanmar journalist gets press freedom prize

Jailed Myanmar journalist gets press freedom prize

  
PARIS, Dec 10 (Reuters) - International press watchdog Reporters without
Borders (RsF) on Friday awarded its annual prize to Myanmar journalist San
San Nweh, jailed for ``spreading information damaging for the state.'' 

San San Nweh, 55, was given a seven-year sentence in 1994 by a Myanmar court
and a further three-year term on charges of giving biased information to
French reporters. 

The Rangoon authorities also blamed her for passing on to the United Nations
information on human rights violations in Myanmar, formerly called Burma. 

The 50,000-French-franc ($7,750) RsF prize rewards action taken to defend
press freedom. 

RsF said San San Nweh was suffering from liver and eye ailments as a result
of torture and harsh prison conditions. 

Myanmar exile U Aung Ko, who played a dissident professor in John Boorman's
film ``Rangoon,'' was to receive the prize in her name in Paris later on
Friday. 

RsF said 13 journalists were in prison in Myanmar, most serving long terms
and ``living through real hell.'' 

It said one journalist died in jail last year, a photographer reportedly
died under torture last September, and a journalist named as U Win Tin was
near death in prison. 

20:31 12-09-99