Congo: The Norwegians will not be executed

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere says he has been assured that the two Norwegians who were sentenced to death by a Congo military tribunal this week, will not be executed.

Stoere said he was given this assurance in a telephone conversation with his Congolese counterpart Alexis Thambwe Mwamba.

Foreign Minister Mwamba had also made it clear that DR Congo is open to negotiate whether part of a sentence could be served in Norway.

The two have already appealed, and the Congolese Foreign Minister assured Stoere that the appeal would be processed in a proper way, and that the Congolses authorities accept full responsibility for the security of the two Norwegians.

The two were earlier this week convicted of murdering their driver, and were also accused of arms smuggling and espionage. They denied all charges.

(NRK)

Rolleiv Solholm