1 week ago
14
Thirty-seven radical - including 3 Americans, a Briton, a Belgian and a Canadian nationalist - person been sentenced to decease implicit an effort to overthrow the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The men were accused of starring an onslaught connected some the statesmanlike palace and the location of an state of President Félix Tshisekedi successful May.
Christian Malanga, a US nationalist of Congolese origin, the suspected person of the plot, was killed during the attack, on with 5 others.
In full 51 radical were tried successful a subject court, with hearings broadcast connected nationalist TV and radio.
Malanga's lad Marcel, 1 of the US citizens sentenced to death, antecedently told the tribunal that his begetter had threatened to termination him unless helium took part.
Fourteen radical were acquitted and freed.
Death sentences person not been carried retired successful DR Congo for astir 2 decades - convicts who person the punishment service beingness imprisonment instead.
The authorities lifted this moratorium successful March this year, citing the request to region "traitors" from the nation’s dysfunctional army. However, nary decease penalties person been carried retired since.
The attempted coup successful question began successful the capital, Kinshasa, successful the aboriginal hours of 19 May. Armed men archetypal attacked parliamentary talker Vital Kamerhe’s location successful Kinshasa past headed to the president’s authoritative residence.
Witnesses accidental a radical of astir 20 assailants successful service azygous attacked the palace and an speech of gunfire followed.
An service spokesperson aboriginal announced connected nationalist TV that information forces had stopped "an attempted coup d'etat".
English (US)