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00:00These 37 people have been sentenced to death.
00:04This military court in Kinshasa convicted them for attempted coup,
00:08terrorism and criminal association,
00:11saying they took part in a botched coup that was carried out in May.
00:17As for Marcel Malanga, the death sentence for criminal association,
00:22the death sentence for terrorism and the death sentence for the assault.
00:28Marcel Malanga is the son of Christian Malanga,
00:32a little-known opposition figure, the leader of the failed coup.
00:37On May 19th, the commando raided the home of a minister
00:41and then stormed the presidential palace,
00:44where it's said President Felix Tshisekedi was no longer in power.
00:48The coup failed and the leader of the commando was killed while resisting arrest.
00:53Some 40 men were detained, including three U.S. citizens,
00:58a Canadian, a Briton and a Belgian.
01:01They've claimed that they were forced to take part in the operation.
01:05Their lawyers point to what they see as irregularities in the trial.
01:11The court didn't take our responses in account.
01:14That is why we're considering appealing the decision,
01:17which we believe is very harsh and tainted with acts
01:21that prove the court has acted in bad faith.
01:25The Democratic Republic of Congo only reinstated the death penalty this year
01:31after a two-decade moratorium.
01:34The defendants were given five days to appeal the ruling.