A military court in Kinshasa, Republic of Congo, on Friday sentenced 37 people, including three Americans, to death for their roles in the failed coup attempt, the Associated Press reported.
The Americans, identified as Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr. and Benjamin Reuben Zalman Porn, were among those convicted of crimes related to the May 19, 2024, attempted coup against the government of President Felix Tshisekedi. According to To the Associated Press. (Related article: At least three killed in coup attempt in Democratic Republic of Congo, allegedly linked to Americans)
The court also convicted defendants from Belgium, Canada and the UK, the media reported. They have been told they have five days to appeal the verdict.
Congolese court sentences three Americans and 34 others to death in coup case https://t.co/LQAoQiahmF
— Associated Press (@AP) September 14, 2024
According to the Associated Press, Congolese-American politician and businessman Christian Malanga orchestrated the attack, which left six people dead, including Malanga himself. Malanga's 21-year-old son, Marcel Malanga, a US citizen, reportedly testified that his father had forced him and his friends to take part in the attack. Malanga's father allegedly threatened their lives if they refused, according to the AP.
His lawyer, Richard Bond, argued that the death penalty, recently reinstated in Congo, is not fully enforceable and criticized the trial, noting that inadequate interpretation was involved during the investigation. “We will challenge this decision through an appeal,” Bond said, according to the media.
How three young Americans were caught up in an attempted coup in Congo and faced the death penalty https://t.co/icUzErSFgF
— Associated Press (@AP) September 14, 2024
The State Department acknowledged the incident but did not find that the three Americans were wrongfully detained, significantly reducing the possibility of diplomatic intervention, the media reported. According to the Associated Press, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, “We will continue to attend hearings and monitor developments closely.”
According to the Associated Press, families of Americans who have been convicted of crimes are urging lawmakers to step in. Republican Senators Mitt Romney and Mike Lee of Utah have voiced their support for the families, particularly that of Utah Sen. Tyler Thompson Jr.
