Death penalty demanded for 50 defendants, including 3 Americans, in coup trial in Democratic Republic of Congo

The group then went to the Palais de la Nation, where President Félix Tshisekedi's office is located, and waved the flag of Zaire, the country that was called Sese Seko under former dictator Mobutu, who was overthrown in 1997.

Several sources reported at the time that gunshots were heard near the building.

An army spokesman later announced on national television that defense and security forces had prevented an “attempted coup.”

The suspected leader of the plot was Christian Malanga, a Congolese man who was a “naturalized American” and was killed by security forces, said army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge.

During questioning, the defendants arrested near the Palais de la Nation blamed Malanga.

Others detained elsewhere in the capital Kinshasa, including four women, denied any involvement.

Richard Bondo, the defense attorney for one of the American defendants, told Agence France-Presse that the prosecution's demand for the death penalty was “very harsh.”

The defense is scheduled to present its arguments on Friday.

Malanga's son, Marcel Malanga, is among the three Americans on trial before the military court in Kinshasa.

Tyler Thompson, another American defendant, said at trial last month that he was “coerced” into doing so, echoing testimony from two other U.S. citizens facing the same charges.

“I came to the Democratic Republic of Congo to visit Marcel’s family, whom I had never seen before,” he added.

Malanga also told the court that his father forced him to participate: “He told us he would kill us if we didn't listen.”

Malanga said his father woke him up on the night of May 18 and ordered him to take a gun.

The third American on trial, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, also said he was “kidnapped” and “forced” to participate.

In March, the Congolese government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place since 2003, despite criticism from human rights organizations.

Lawyers for the Americans complained that their clients were interrogated in French and without an interpreter, even though they spoke English.

Also among the defendants are a Belgian, a Briton and a Canadian, all of whom are naturalised Congolese.

The trial began on June 7 at Ndolo Military Prison, where all the defendants are being held.

The charges include “assault, terrorism, illegal possession of war weapons and ammunition, attempted murder, criminal association, murder (and) financing of terrorism,” a court document said.

In another case, a military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this month imposed the death penalty on all 26 defendants accused of belonging to the rebel group M23 following a high-profile trial.