A military court in Kinshasa, Congo sentenced 37 individuals, including three Americans, to death Friday after convicting them of participating in a failed coup attempt, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The Americans, identified as Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr. and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, were among those found guilty of crimes related to the May 19, 2024 coup attempt against the government of President Felix Tshisekedi, according to the Associated Press.
The court also convicted defendants from Belgium, Canada and the U.K., according to the outlet. They reportedly have five days to appeal the verdict.
Christian Malanga, a Congolese-American politician and businessman, led the assault which resulted in the deaths of six people, including Malanga himself, the AP reported.
Marcel Malanga, the leader’s 21-year-old son and an American citizen, reportedly testified that his father forced him and a friend to participate in the attack.
The senior Malanga allegedly threatened their lives if they refused, according to the outlet.
Defense attorney Richard Bondo criticized the trial, arguing that Congo’s recent reinstatement of the death penalty is not fully enforceable and citing the participation of inadequate interpreters during the investigation. “We will challenge this decision on appeal,” Bondo stated, according to the outlet.
The U.S. Department of State acknowledged the case but has not designated the three Americans as wrongfully detained, which significantly reduces the chances of diplomatic intervention, the outlet reported.
“We continue to attend the proceedings and follow developments closely,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters, according to the AP.
Families of the convicted Americans are urging lawmakers to intervene, the AP reported. Republican Utah Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee expressed support for the families, particularly the Beehive State’s Tyler Thompson Jr.
“The U.S. Department of State acknowledged the case but has not designated the three Americans as wrongfully detained, which significantly reduces the chances of diplomatic intervention, the outlet reported.”
Don’t Get Your Hope’s Up Waiting on This Corrupt administration to Save You!!!!
The Dem’s and Liberal’s Hate Our Country, Our Military, Our Veteran’s and Everyday American Citizen’s!!!!
If You Were blm or antifa, They Might Save You… But They Only Care About Themselve’s, Their Power, and Holding On Too That Power, At All Costs!!!!
Even If It Means Burning The Country Down, That’s Just How Sick and Twisted They Are!!!
#FKH & #FTW
#Trump/Vance2024 or Bust!!!
I remember when American citizen Otto Warmbier was arrested and sentenced in North Koera then released and returned to the USA. He died about 4 days later. The left had no mercy for him saying it was his own fault for breaking the laws in a foreign country. Now we’re suppose to intervene where American citizens travel to a foreign country and participate in a failed coup trying to bring down the government there.
Play Stupid Games comes to mind here