A veteran journalist and founder of one of Guatemala’s oldest newspapers has been sentenced to six years in prison for money laundering, in a case widely condemned as politically motivated. José Rubén Zamora, 66, was convicted on Wednesday by a three-judge panel in Guatemala City, who ruled that there was “no doubt” the outspoken critic of government corruption masterminded the laundering of almost $40,000 in 2022. The court absolved Zamora of blackmail and peddling influence charges. “I’m innocent, and will appeal,” said Zamora, before being handcuffed and escorted back to Mariscal prison, where he spends 23 hours a day in solitary confinement. Mariscal is the same prison where former president Otto Pérez Molina is held, alongside numerous other high-profile politicians and army officers convicted of corruption, drug trafficking and war crimes. “My wife left the country for the US on Tuesday night, because we are worried that she could be the next target of this dictatorship,” said Zamora, fighting back tears. Zamora’s daily El Periodico was internationally acclaimed for its investigative reporting exposing corruption, including alleged cases linked to the current president Alejandro Giammattei, whose justice system has targeted independent journalists, lawyers and human rights activists. El Periodico was forced to shut in May, and eight of its journalists – two columnists and six reporters – are under investigation for alleged obstruction of justice linked to their reporting of the case against Zamora. Zamora was represented by a recently appointed public attorney – his ninth defence lawyer since being arrested more than 10 months ago. Four of his attorneys were jailed on what independent legal experts have condemned as “spurious” charges, while two others fled the country to avoid a similar fate. At least 20 journalists and dozens of former anti-corruption prosecutors and independently minded judges are currently in exile amid a crackdown on anyone considered by the current administration to be aligned with the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (Cicig) – the UN anti-corruption agency expelled in 2019. The money-laundering charge stems from Zamora receiving a donation from a businessman and friend to keep the newspaper running, rather than depositing the cash and cheques himself. The court rejected Zamora’s claim that the donor wanted to keep his support discreet, in order to avoid being targeted by Giammattei. “All my rights have been violated … the evidence that would prove my innocence was rejected and my lawyers jailed, denying my right to a defence,” said Zamora in his final comments before sentencing, vowing to take the case to the Inter American Court of Human Rights. Giammattei has denied that the current wave of prosecutions are politically motivated. In a highly unusual move, the trial against Zamora took place in conjunction with the case against Samira Gómez, an experienced anti-corruption prosecutor charged with disclosure of confidential information. Including a public official in the same proceedings enabled the Foundation against Terrorism – an ultra-rightwing organisation that revels in launching lawsuits and online attacks against independent lawyers, prosecutors and judges it considers to have communist leanings – to formally participate in the trial as a complainant. Gómez, 36, was found not guilty and released after being held for more than 10 months on remand, separated from her three children aged three to 16. “There was no case against me, the public ministry provided no evidence, but prosecuting innocent people for political motives is now the trend.” Rafael Curruchiche, who runs the attorney general’s anti-impunity unit and had asked for 40 years against Zamora, said his office would appeal the not guilty verdicts.