Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi has announced the commutation of death sentences for three Americans convicted in connection with a failed coup attempt in the capital Kinshasa last year. This decision, communicated by presidential spokesperson Tina Salama, reduces their sentences to life imprisonment, more than six months after a military court handed down the original sentences to the three and over 30 others.

The commutation arrives amid ongoing negotiations between Congolese authorities and the United States regarding a minerals deal intended to bolster security against Rwandan-backed insurgents operating in the eastern regions of the country. The failed coup attempt, which resulted in the deaths of six individuals, was allegedly led by Christian Malanga, an opposition figure who was shot during the attack after live-streaming the assault on social media.

Among those now facing life sentences are Marcel Malanga, the son of the deceased coup leader and a U.S. citizen, alongside Tyler Thompson Jr. and Benjamin Zalman-Polun. Marcel described in court how his father coerced him and Thompson into participating, claiming, “Dad had threatened to kill us if we did not follow his orders,” according to reports from CBS News.

A total of 51 individuals were implicated in the coup attempt which involved assaults on both the presidential palace and the residence of a close ally of Tshisekedi. The charges ranged from attempted coup to terrorism and criminal association, with 14 defendants acquitted during the trial.

Furthermore, this alteration of the Americans' sentences coincides with the upcoming visit of Massad Boulos, the newly appointed U.S. senior advisor for Africa. He will travel to Congo and other African nations including Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda, from April 3, to foster initiatives for sustainable peace in the region and enhance U.S. investment opportunities, as stated by the U.S. Department of State.

For further details, check the full coverage on Reuters and Los Angeles Times.