37 people, including three US citizens, were sentenced to death by a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for their involvement in a failed coup attempt in May, Reuters reports.
The Americans include Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson, and Benjamin Zalman-Polun, all of whom were convicted of criminal conspiracy, terrorism, and other charges. Marcel’s father, US-based Congolese politician Christian Malanga, led the coup attempt but was killed by security forces. Marcel claimed he was coerced by his father to participate and was visiting Congo for the first time.
The trial, which began in July, involved about 50 defendants, including US, British, Canadian, Belgian, and Congolese citizens. The death sentences were handed down live from a military prison in Kinshasa. The US State Department is closely monitoring the situation and noted that the defendants could appeal under Congolese law.
