Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav burst into tears Tuesday after being sentenced to seven years in jail for rape.

The 65-year-old is the highest-ranking Israeli official ordered to serve jail time. In December Katsav was convicted of twice raping a former employee while he was minister of tourism in the 1990s and sexually harassing two other women during his presidential term between 2000 and 2007.

Katsav is slated to start his prison sentence May 8 and he’s been ordered to pay $25,000 and $7,000 to two of his victims. Since the case began five years ago he’s proclaimed his innocence and insisted he’s the victim of a political witch hunt.  He’s expected to appeal.

The investigation began five years ago when Katsav complained a female employee was trying to blackmail him. The woman went to police to explain her side of the story and then other women came forward claiming they’d been sexually assaulted.

The conviction and sentence is being held up as a victory for women’s rights in Israel. The ruling read out during his conviction described Katsav as “manipulative” and said his testimony was riddled with lies.

With files from the Associated Press.