The young American son of a man who incited a failed government takeover in the Democratic Republic of Congo was sentenced to death Friday, after claiming he and his childhood buddy were forced to participate under the threat of murder at the hands of his own father.

A military court in Congo, one of Africa’s largest countries, has convicted three Americans and dozens of others of taking part in a coup attempt and imposed “the harshest penalty, that of death.” The court convicted the 37 defendants,

Three Americans have been sentenced to death in Congo, along with other foreigners, after being convicted for participating in a failed coup attempt in May.