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Congo Military Court Sentences 37 to Death in Coup Trial

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A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced 37 people to death for their alleged roles in a coup attempt on May 19. The defendants, including three Americans, have five days to appeal the verdict. The trial, which opened in June, resulted in the acquittal of 14 people. The coup attempt, led by opposition figure Christian Malanga, resulted in the deaths of six people, including Malanga, who was killed by security forces. The defendants were convicted of charges including criminal association, attack, and terrorism. The verdict was announced by court president Freddy Ehume, who stated that the court had pronounced the harshest sentence, the death penalty.

    1. The court pronounces the harshest sentence: the death penalty for criminal association, the death penalty for attack, the death penalty for terrorism.
    1. My thoughts are with the families during this difficult time.
    2. We will continue to work with the State Department to receive updates on this case.
    1. This is an extremely difficult and frightening situation for the families involved.
    1. We understand that the legal process in the DRC allows for defendants to appeal the court's decision.
    2. Embassy staff have been attending these proceedings as they've gone through the process. We continue to attend the proceedings and follow the developments closely.
    1. This coup was not organised by the military of the country or police officers here in the country.
    2. A majority of them, they came from the diaspora.
    1. The Congolese government needs to treat this crisis as an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to human rights and the rule of law.
    2. Congo and the region have a legacy of coups and attempted coups.
    1. We were in complete shock as to what was happening, and the unknown. Everything we were learning was what we were getting off Google.