[JURIST] Milorad Ulemek, paramilitary commander under Slobodan Milosevic [JURIST news archive], was convicted with 11 others on Wednesday for the assassination of former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic [BBC obituary; memorial website]. The Special Court in Belgrade sentenced Ulemek to 40 years imprisonment, the maximum sentence allowed under Serbian law, finding that he organized the assassination. Zvezdan Jovanovic, was convicted of firing the shot that killed Djindjic and was also sentenced to 40 years. Jovanovic claimed [JURIST report] in 2006 that he was impermissibly forced to sign a confession to Djindjic's murder.

The other defendants received sentences ranging from 8 to 35 years. AP has more.