[JURIST] A Peruvian court Tuesday convicted four former Peruvian military officers of kidnapping and murder for their roles in the 1992 La Cantuta massacre [MIT backgrounder], which left one professor and nine students at Lima's La Cantuta University dead. The military general and three military death squad soldiers convicted each received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 35 years, while four other soldiers were acquitted on charges of aiding in the massacre. Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] is currently being tried for allegedly authorizing the military death squad's attacks, which were likely part of a campaign against Shining Path rebels [FAS backgrounder] in the country.

In December, Fujimori apologized [JURIST report] for his role in two massacres, including the one at La Cantuta, which both occurred during his administration in the early 1990s. Fujimori said that he did not authorize or have any knowledge of the killings. Prior to the public apology, Fujimori was sentenced to six years in prison [JURIST report] for abuse of authority in the last months of his 1990-2000 rule. He currently faces three other trials in Peru, stemming from his actions during three presidential terms in office from 1990-2000. AP has more.