New Zealand to hear Christchurch mosque shooter's appeal against sentence

The sentencing for mosque gunman Brenton Tarrant takes place in Christchurch

Brenton Tarrant, the gunman who shot and killed worshippers in the Christchurch mosque attacks, listens as Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh delivers his submission during Tarrant's sentencing at the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, August 27, 2020. John Kirk-Anderson/Pool via REUTERS

Source: X80003

By Stefica Nicol Bikes and James Redmayne

A white supremacist who killed 51 Muslim worshippers and injured dozens at two mosques in New Zealand will begin an appeal hearing against his sentence on Monday.

Brenton Tarrant, 35, opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch in March 2019, in the worst mass shooting in the country's history.

He was convicted of 51 charges of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder and one charge of committing a terrorist act and is serving a life sentence in prison without parole.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Explosions at Taiwan waste site injure 15, damage dozens of homes

It was the first time a New Zealand court had sentenced a person to prison for the rest of their life.

Tarrant, an Australian national, released a racist manifesto shortly before storming the mosques armed with military-style semi-automatics, indiscriminately shooting at Muslims gathered for Friday prayers and livestreaming the killings on Facebook using a head-mounted camera.

New Zealand's worst peacetime killing shocked the country and prompted the government to quickly tighten gun laws.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters