Mr. Bao was convicted of leaking state secrets and spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda.

He was then also given four years for inciting and spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda, but the sentences were merged for a total of seven years.

He fled to the south, then returned to Beijing and that July was captured and sentenced to four years for counterrevolutionary propaganda.

He was formally arrested only in January of this year, on charges of disclosing state secrets and spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda.

As a result of his actions, Li was jailed on 9 June for "counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement".

Political trials, which are closed to foreign observers, still result in long prison sentences for such vaguely defined crimes as "counterrevolutionary propaganda."

"I was convicted of disseminating counterrevolutionary propaganda."

The charge, as far as I have been able to determine, was disseminating "counterrevolutionary propaganda," meaning the diary he had written.

Wang was charged with spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement.

Now they are charged with "crimes of counterrevolutionary propaganda and instigation," the equivalent of treason.