gao yu - named one of international press institute 's 50 ` world press heroes ' in 2000 - ` illegally provided state secrets to foreigners ' , beijing 's no. 3 intermediate people 's court said on a verified social media account today .
the ruling stated gao had leaked a 2013 directive by the ruling communist party named ` document number 9 ' to a hong kong media outlet .
gao yu , 71 , has been jailed for seven years for ` illegally providing state secrets to foreigners ' in the shape of a government document warning against the ` dangers ' of press freedom to a hong kong media outlet .