Wellington (Monitoring Desk) A New Zealand court has rejected the appeal filed by Australian extremist Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 people in the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks.
In its ruling, the court stated that the convict’s attempt to overturn his sentence was baseless and had no legal standing. The court further noted that the accused had pleaded guilty voluntarily and without any pressure.
It is worth recalling that on March 15, 2019, a mass shooting at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch resulted in the deaths of 51 people, including women, children, and the elderly. It is considered the worst terrorist attack in New Zealand’s history.
The offender was sentenced to life imprisonment in August 2020 without the possibility of parole or release. He later appealed, arguing that his prison conditions were inhumane and that he was not in a proper mental state to make decisions. However, the court also dismissed this claim.
The court said that evidence clearly showed the convict was mentally fully responsible and that inconsistencies were found in his statements, while reports from experts and prison authorities did not support his claims.
Meanwhile, lawyers for victims’ families and survivors welcomed the decision, calling it a victory for justice and saying it has relieved them from the mental burden of reliving the case.