at one extreme, crimes such as treason, sedition, and terrorism are political because they represent a direct challenge to the government in power. espionage is usually considered a political crime. but offenders do not have to aim to overthrow the government or to depose its leaders to be acting in a way perceived as "political". a state may perceive it threatening if individuals advocate change to the established order, or argue the need for reform of long-established policies, or engage in acts signifying some degree of disloyalty, e.g. by burning the nation's flag in public. but the scope of such crimes can be rather less direct.