New Zealand mosque gunman, who killed 51 people in 2019, files appeal against life sentence

The self-proclaimed white supremacist, Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two Christchurch mosques in March 2019, filed an appeal against his conviction and whole-life sentence on Monday. 

The Australian national had stormed  Christchurch’s Al Noor mosque and the Linwood Islamic Centre, armed with semi-automatic weapons, firing indiscriminately at the Muslim worshippers gathered for Friday prayers, while live streaming the killings on social media.

No date for the hearing has been set, a spokesperson for the Court of Appeal in the capital Wellington told multiple media outlets in New Zealand on Tuesday. The grounds for appeal are yet to be made clear. 

Tarrant pleaded guilty in March 2020 to 51 charges of murder, 40 of attempted murder, and a charge of committing a terrorist attack.

Brenton Tarrant’s sentencing was the first time when a court sentenced someone to prison for the rest of their life. 

“Your crimes are so wicked, that even if you are detained until you die it will not exhaust the requirements of punishment and denunciation,” judge Cameroon Mander had said while announcing the quantum of sentence. 

Earlier in November 2021, Brenton Tarrant’s then-Lawyer, Tony Ellis had said that his client was considering an appeal against his verdict. He had claimed that Brenton’s guilty plea was obtained under duress and that he was subjected to “inhuman and degrading treatment” in police custody. At present, Ellis no longer represents Brenton Tarrant. 

The 2019 attack led to major gun reforms in New Zealand, including the Christchurch Call, an initiative to combat extremist content online. 

(With inputs from agencies)