37, Including 3 Americans, Sentenced to Death in DRC

A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sentenced 37 people, including three US citizens, to death for their involvement in a failed coup attempt against President Felix Tshisekedi's government in May. The verdict concludes a three-month trial that examined the events of May 19, when armed men led by Congolese political exile Christian Malanga attempted to overthrow the government.

The coup attempt began with an attack on a senior politician's home and progressed to a presidential complex in Kinshasa. Congolese troops quickly regained control, resulting in at least six deaths, including Malanga's. In the aftermath, security forces arrested dozens of individuals, including three Americans: Marcel Malanga (the leader's son), Tyler Thompson, and Benjamin Zalman-Polun.

The trial, held in Kinshasa's N'dolo military prison, involved 51 defendants facing charges of murder, terrorism, and criminal association. Many defendants, including the Americans, claimed they were tortured during detention and forced to participate in the coup attempt at gunpoint. However, the court dismissed these defenses and found all members of the alleged attacking group guilty on all counts.

The death sentences were handed down despite Congo's previous decades-long moratorium on capital punishment, which was lifted in March to combat what the government termed "treachery." The verdict has sparked controversy, with defense lawyers criticizing the decision as superficial and vowing to appeal.

This case has drawn international attention due to the involvement of foreign nationals, including US citizens, and raises questions about due process and human rights in the DRC's judicial system. The severity of the sentences and the circumstances surrounding the trial are likely to prompt further scrutiny and potentially diplomatic interventions from the countries whose citizens are involved.