In a recent development, the lawyer representing three Americans who were sentenced to death in Congo for their alleged involvement in a coup attempt has filed an appeal. The military court in Congo issued death sentences to a total of 37 individuals, including the three Americans, after finding them guilty of participating in the coup attempt.
Among the defendants were mostly Congolese nationals, as well as individuals from Britain, Belgium, and Canada. The charges against them included attempted coup, terrorism, and criminal association. Notably, fourteen individuals were acquitted during the trial proceedings.
Earlier this year, Congo reinstated the death penalty after a moratorium of over two decades, citing the need to address escalating violence and militant activities in the country. The convicted individuals are likely to face execution by firing squad.
It has been highlighted that Congo, as a member of the Treaty of Rome, violated international law by reintroducing the death penalty. The lawyer for the American defendants argued that the parliament should have considered alternative penalties, but no such action has been taken thus far.
The coup attempt, led by an obscure opposition figure named Christian Malanga in May, resulted in the deaths of six individuals. Malanga himself was fatally shot while resisting arrest shortly after live-streaming the attack on social media.
One of the convicted Americans, Marcel Malanga, the son of Christian Malanga, claimed in court that he was coerced by his father to participate in the attack. Marcel's mother, Brittney Sawyer, maintains his innocence, stating that he was merely following his father's orders, who believed himself to be the president of a shadow government in exile.
Since Marcel's arrest, Sawyer has been actively fundraising to provide him with essential supplies such as food, hygiene products, and a bed. Marcel, who is currently detained at the Ndolo military prison, has been reportedly sleeping on the floor and is suffering from a liver disease.
