A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday sentenced 37 people to death, including three American citizens, for their involvement in a failed coup attempt.
The defendants, which also included a Briton, Belgian, and Canadian, were convicted on charges of attempted coup, terrorism, and criminal association.
The trial, which began in June, saw 14 people acquitted.
The three Americans, along with the other defendants, were sentenced to the harshest penalty available under Congolese law.
The failed coup attempt, led by opposition figure Christian Malanga in May, targeted the presidential palace and a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi.
Malanga was killed during the attempt, and his 21-year-old son, a U.S. citizen, was among those convicted.
The families of the American defendants have expressed concerns about their treatment and the potential for a wrongful conviction.
They have called on the U.S. government to intervene on their behalf.
The U.S. State Department has stated that it is aware of the verdict and is monitoring the situation closely.
However, the department has not declared the Americans wrongfully detained, making it unlikely that they will actively negotiate their release.