3 Americans sentenced to death in failed coup attempt trial in DRC
[ Ссылка ]
A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced 37 individuals, including three US citizens, to death for their involvement in a failed coup attempt. The tribunal, held in a military prison in Kinshasa, handed down the death penalty to the group for charges that included terrorism, murder, and treason.
The coup attempt on May 19 was led by Congolese political exile Christian Malanga, who was killed by Congolese troops during the event. The US citizens, who claimed to be tourists, were apprehended attempting to flee with others involved in the attack.
In the trial, the defendants alleged torture and coercion of their confessions, with the three Americans claiming they were forced into participating at gunpoint. The defense also highlighted language barriers and the use of unreliable interpreters during the proceedings.
Following three months of hearings, the tribunal found all members of the coup group guilty. The court, however, acquitted 14 individuals who were wrongly apprehended after the incident. The court's president stated that the verdict was reached through a secret ballot.
Defense lawyers expressed skepticism towards the verdict, claiming it was predetermined. They highlighted the failure of the tribunal to adequately consider the torture allegations and the superficial nature of the proceedings.
The counsel for Marcel Malanga, one of the US citizens, vowed to appeal the sentence, labeling it shameful and unjust. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has lifted a decades-long moratorium on the death penalty in an effort to combat treason.
