A Muslim man has been jailed in China for six years for growing his beard while his wife has been imprisoned for two years for wearing a burka, according to China Youth Daily reports.

International Uighur groups have criticised Chinese officials for imprisoning the couple for having an extreme Muslim appearance.

World Uighur Congress spokesman Dilxat Raxit said the sentences were "absurd", and typical of the political persecution faced by the mostly Muslim ethnic minority group.

"This is a case that would not happen in any other country in the world," Mr Raxit said in a statement.

"It is unacceptable and absurd. It exposes China's hostile attitude and crisis of governance.

"If a Chinese person grows a beard, it is a personal fashion he is allowed to choose freely. If a Uighur grows a beard, he is a religious extremist.

"China's goal is to use judicial means to force Uighurs to accept Chinese people's traditions and give up their own way of life."

Western China's Xinjiang province has seen a major crackdown on ethnic Uighurs with clothing and appearances linked to radical Islam.

The couple were charged with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble".

For more than a year the authorities in Xinjiang have been campaigning against men growing beards — a practice officials associate with extremist ideas.

A campaign dubbed Project Beauty also encourages women to leave their heads bare and abandon wearing the veil.

Rights groups believe Beijing's repression of Uighur culture and religion has fanned tensions in Xinjiang, a resource-rich region that abuts central Asia.

Violence increased last year and at least 200 people were killed in a series of bombings and deadly clashes with security forces, blamed by Beijing on separatists and religious extremists.

Beijing defends its policies, arguing it has boosted economic development in the area and that it upholds minority and religious rights in a country with 55 recognised ethnic minorities as well as the Han majority.

By Monday the China Youth Daily report and several other articles on the case had been deleted from mainland news sites.

ABC/AFP