UTAH, Sept. 15, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — The family of Tyler Thompson Jr., one of two Utah men sentenced to death by a military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has released a statement:
“We are heartbroken over the verdict from the DRC: Tyler has been sentenced to death by a military tribunal, as have the two other Americans that were charged and convicted. We continue to believe in Tyler’s innocence and will be pursuing all possible appellate remedies. We urge all who have supported Tyler and the family throughout this process to write to your Congressmen and request their assistance in bringing him home. Thank you for standing with us.
“Many have reached out as the recent news has been reported. We are grateful for the kindness and support during the past months. At this time, we ask that our family’s privacy be respected as we navigate this situation and determine our next steps.”
The United States citizens are among the 37 people sentenced to death for their alleged roles in a short-lived attempt to overthrow President Felix Tshisekedi.
Thompson, Marcel Malanga and Benjamin Zalman-Polun are the three Americans sentenced. Thompson and Malanga attended the same school in Utah, and traveled to the DRC together. Thompson’s family has said they believed their son was traveling for a vacation.
All three were found guilty of criminal conspiracy, terrorism and other charges, and were sentenced to death in a ruling read on live TV.
The May coup attempt was led by opposition figure Christian Malanga, father of Marcel Malanga, according to a CNN report. The elder Malanga was fatally shot while resisting arrest soon after live-streaming the attack on his social media, the Congolese army reportedly said.
The third American convicted, Zalman-Polun, was a business associate of the elder Malanga, a Reuters article says.
That article says Marcel Malanga was allowed to speak in his defense at the military court proceeding.
“Dad had threatened to kill us if we did not follow his orders,” Reuters quoted him saying.
Marcel Malanga said he had come to Congo to see his father, whom he had not seen since 2021, at his invitation, adding he had not visited the country before, the article says.
Besides the Americans, a British citizen, a Canadian national and Belgian citizen are among those sentenced to death. The remainder of those convicted are Congolese. Fourteen people reportedly were acquitted in the proceedings.
The U.S. State Department has not declared the three Americans wrongfully convicted, suggesting the federal government is less likely to advocate on their behalf or intervene.
“We understand that the legal process in the DRC allows for defendants to appeal the court’s decision,” State Department spokesperson Matt Miller told NBC News in an interview.
