Norway Says Congo Pledges Nationals Won’t Be Executed

Norway said on Sept. 9 it received a guarantee from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s foreign minister that the two Norwegian nationals sentenced to death on Sept. 8 will  not be executed.

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre had received assurances from his Congolese counterpart Alexis Thambwe Mwamba in a telephone conversation, the ministry said in a statement.

“Alexis Thambwe Mwamba assured Støre that the two men would not under any circumstances be executed even if the verdict is maintained,” it said. “The Congolese government has adopted a moratorium on the death penalty and capital punishment is no longer appliend in the country.”

It is expected that the death penalties will ultimately be replaced by life-time prison terms.

It’s only the second time in more than 60 years that Norwegian citizens have been sentenced to death, reports newspaper Aftenposten.