Tyler Thompson Jr., Marcel Malanga and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, all American citizens, face the court in Kinshasa, Congo, with 52 other defendants, June 7, 2024, accused of a role in the attempted coup in Congo led by little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga in which six people were killed.

» Congo overturns death sentences of three Americans convicted in coup attempt

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The Democratic Republic of Congo has commuted the death sentences of three Americans convicted over their involvement in a failed coup to overthrow the government last May. 

President Felix Tshisekedi granted “individual clemency” to Marcel Malanga, Tylor Thomson, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, who will now serve life in prison for charges of criminal conspiracy and terrorism.

The State Department has been involved in discussions with the Congolese government, but officials have not condemned the three U.S. citizens’ imprisonment. 

Tyler Thompson Jr., Marcel Malanga and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, all American citizens, face the court in Kinshasa, Congo, with 52 other defendants, June 7, 2024, accused of a role in the attempted coup in Congo led by little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga in which six people were killed.
FILE – From left, Tyler Thompson Jr., Marcel Malanga, and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, all American citizens, face the court in Kinshasa, Congo, with 52 other defendants, June 7, 2024, accused of a role in the attempted coup in Congo led by little-known opposition figure Christian Malanga in which six people were killed. (AP Photo/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi, File)

However, in February, an adviser for President Donald Trump on hostage negotiations, Adam Boehler, suggested the U.S. would not help Congo, currently in a conflict with Rwanda, due to Congo’s imprisonment of the American citizens.

“The President of Congo is holding 3 Americans now,” he wrote on X. “Perhaps it would be better if Rwanda won the war?”

The three men were among 37 sentenced to death last September after an armed group coordinated an attack on the presidential palace, resulting in an exchange of gunfire that killed the coup’s leader and Malanga’s father, Christian.

Christian Malanga was also an American citizen who was living in Utah and owned a car dealership. He livestreamed the coup attempt.

Marcel Malanga denied being involved in planning the coup, saying he and his friend, Thomson, were forced to participate by his father.

The commutation comes ahead of U.S. senior adviser for Africa Massad Boulos’s visit. Boulos, who is the father-in-law to President Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany, will arrive in Kinshasa on Thursday.

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Congo has been seeking the assistance of the United States as it fights against Rwanda-backed M23, a rebel militia. M23 has captured several towns in the Congo, towns located in mineral-rich regions.

Presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama denied that the decision to commute the three Americans’ sentences was made to win favor with the U.S. “We have no deal with the Americans at this stage on any American intervention,” Salama said.



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