Three Americans found guilty of taking part in a failed coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been returned to the United States, according to their homeland’s presidency.

These individuals, aged between 23 and 36, initially received death sentences, which were later commuted to life imprisonment. The DRC presidency stated that the repatriation furthers judicial diplomacy and international collaboration concerning judicial matters and human rights between Kinshasa and Washington.

The repatriated U.S. citizens comprise 21-year-old Marcel Malanga, the son of a DR Congo opposition figure who led the failed coup last May and was killed by security forces; Tyler Thompson Jr., a friend of Malanga; and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, aged 36.

They were among 37 individuals sentenced to death in September by a military court in the DRC for their roles in the attempted coup.

The State Department acknowledged the transfer to U.S. custody and expressed that a reduction in their sentences remains unlikely.

During the alleged coup, armed men assaulted the home of a former economy minister and the offices of President Felix Tshisekedi, proclaiming the end of the current regime.

The repatriation coincides with high-level talks concerning security and minerals between the countries. The U.S. administration is open to partnerships regarding critical minerals, which are essential for mobile phones and electric cars. Although the DRC wishes for a stronger U.S. security presence amid escalating conflicts between Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese army in the eastern part of the country, Washington seeks to secure greater access to the mineral resources of the African nation, which are currently mostly exploited by Chinese mining companies.

— Edited by: Kieran Burke

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/americans-convicted-in-dr-congo-coup-involvement-repatriated/a-72179703?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf