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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Norway pair fail in death appeal | Norway pair fail in death appeal |
| (about 18 hours later) | |
| A Norwegian and a former British soldier sentenced to death for espionage and murder of a taxi driver in DR Congo have lost their appeal. | A Norwegian and a former British soldier sentenced to death for espionage and murder of a taxi driver in DR Congo have lost their appeal. |
| A military tribunal in Kisangani rejected the plea and ordered them to pay $500m in damages before facing the death sentence. | A military tribunal in Kisangani rejected the plea and ordered them to pay $500m in damages before facing the death sentence. |
| Joshua French, who holds joint British-Norwegian nationality, and Tjostolv Moland were also accused of spying. | Joshua French, who holds joint British-Norwegian nationality, and Tjostolv Moland were also accused of spying. |
| Their only remaining option is to appeal before the military high court. | Their only remaining option is to appeal before the military high court. |
| French, 27, and Moland, 28, were sentenced to death by firing squad for murder by a military tribunal on 8 September. | |
| They were also charged with espionage and arms smuggling. | They were also charged with espionage and arms smuggling. |
| 'Miscarriages of justice' | 'Miscarriages of justice' |
| The ruling drew immediate international protests. | The ruling drew immediate international protests. |
| Norway condemned the verdict and said it would complain to the government of DR Congo. | Norway condemned the verdict and said it would complain to the government of DR Congo. |
| "Norway is a fundamental opponent of the death penalty, and I will as soon as possible contact the DR Congo foreign minister to relay this message, " said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere in a statement. | "Norway is a fundamental opponent of the death penalty, and I will as soon as possible contact the DR Congo foreign minister to relay this message, " said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere in a statement. |
| The human rights group Reprieve claims the two men have suffered a series of miscarriages of justice since their arrest, reported the Press Association news agency. | The human rights group Reprieve claims the two men have suffered a series of miscarriages of justice since their arrest, reported the Press Association news agency. |
| "Today, in the farce that substitutes for military justice in the DRC, the judge wanted to dispense with translators," said Reprieve director Clive Stafford Smith. | "Today, in the farce that substitutes for military justice in the DRC, the judge wanted to dispense with translators," said Reprieve director Clive Stafford Smith. |
| "Apparently Joshua French did not have to understand the process that led to his death sentence," said the director. | "Apparently Joshua French did not have to understand the process that led to his death sentence," said the director. |
| "The 'legal process' has so far included torturing Joshua, parading him around town in front of lynch mobs, and forcing him to sign statements under threat of death." | "The 'legal process' has so far included torturing Joshua, parading him around town in front of lynch mobs, and forcing him to sign statements under threat of death." |
| "Witnesses who testified against the pair received $5,000 each in compensation in a country where people earn about $3-4 a day." | "Witnesses who testified against the pair received $5,000 each in compensation in a country where people earn about $3-4 a day." |
| Mr Stafford Smith ended with a plea to the British government to "redouble its efforts to end this nightmare." | Mr Stafford Smith ended with a plea to the British government to "redouble its efforts to end this nightmare." |
| British roots | British roots |
| French was born in Norway to a British father and Norwegian mother, and lived in Margate, Kent, as a child. | French was born in Norway to a British father and Norwegian mother, and lived in Margate, Kent, as a child. |
| He moved back to Norway when his parents divorced, but returned to the UK aged 20 and served in the British Army. | He moved back to Norway when his parents divorced, but returned to the UK aged 20 and served in the British Army. |
| Along with Moland, he has been detained since May this year after the pair's Congolese driver was found shot dead in the north-east of the country. | Along with Moland, he has been detained since May this year after the pair's Congolese driver was found shot dead in the north-east of the country. |
| Both men deny murdering Abedi Kasongo, 47, maintaining that he was shot and killed when their car was ambushed by gunmen on the road near the city of Kisangani. | Both men deny murdering Abedi Kasongo, 47, maintaining that he was shot and killed when their car was ambushed by gunmen on the road near the city of Kisangani. |