Ecuador's highest court has upheld the jail sentences on three newspaper directors and confirmed that they must pay damages of $40m (£25m) for libelling the country's president, Rafael Correa.
He told reporters that the paper run by the trio, El Universo, had orchestrated a campaign to destroy his reputation.
In the original ruling last year, columnist Emilio Palacio and the paper's three owners - Carlos, Cesar and Nicolas Perez - were sentenced to three years each. They were found guilty of defaming Correa over his handling of a police revolt in 2010.
The ruling by the supreme court, which affects on the owners, was the first high-profile sentence issued by the newly appointed court.
Outside the court, Correa's supporters clashed with journalists and other protesting citizens concerned at the threat to press freedom.
Correa often accuses privately-owned television networks and newspapers of spreading lies to undermine his government and has called them "the real opposition."
For their part, news organisations say he is trying to censor critics.
Sources: Reuters/Index on Censorship
