3 Americans In Congo Sentenced To Death After Coup Attempt
Date
9/14/2024 3:10:02 PM
(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Three American citizens have been sentenced to death in Congo
after being convicted on charges of participating in a coup
attempt, with one telling a court that his father - who led the
failed effort - "had threatened to kill us if we did not follow his
orders," Azernews reports citing FoxNews.
A lawyer representing 21-year-olds Marcel Malanga and Tyler
Thompson Jr. and 36-year-old Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, is now
planning to appeal the verdict following the botched attack
orchestrated by Malanga's father, Christian Malanga, in May that
targeted the presidential palace and a close ally of President
Felix Tshisekedi.
"We have seen that a military court in the Democratic Republic
of Congo sentenced a number of defendants, including U.S. citizens,
to death for alleged involvement in the May 19th attacks against
the government," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said
Friday. "We understand that the legal process in the DRC allows for
defendants to appeal the court's decision. Embassy staff have been
attending these proceedings ... We'll continue to attend the
proceedings and follow the developments closely."
When asked if he thought the court process was fair, Miller
responded, "I don't want to pass judgment on the proceedings so
far, because we are still in the middle of the legal process."
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