The attacker convicted of a right-wing extremist terrorist attack in New Zealand that killed 51 people has applied for his guilty plea to be overturned.
Feb 9, 2026, 7:42 amFeb 9, 2026, 7:42 am
Brenton Tarrant told an appeal court in Wellington that the difficult prison conditions at the time had affected his mental state so much that he did not act rationally when he confessed.
51 people died in the terrorist attack on the mosque in Christchurch.Image: keystone
The now 35-year-old Australian was connected from the maximum security prison in Auckland, where he is housed in a special unit for prisoners with extreme security risks. This unit is spatially separated from the rest of the prison and has particularly strict security and surveillance measures.
In the most serious attack in the recent history of the Pacific state, Tarrant attacked two mosques in the city of Christchurch on March 15, 2019 and shot 51 people. Dozens more were injured, some critically. Many survivors still suffer from the consequences today, are unable to work or have to live with severe pain. The perpetrator broadcast the massacre live on the Internet using a helmet camera.
Harsh sentence imposed for the first time in New Zealand
Tarrant pleaded not guilty in June 2019. In March 2020, he surprisingly pleaded guilty to all charges – including 51 counts of murder and terrorism.
He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the crimes at the Al Noor Mosque and the Linwood Islamic Center. It was the first time such a sentence had been imposed in New Zealand. As a result of the crime, the government tightened gun laws.
Does the case need to be retried?
At the start of the five-day hearing, Tarrant said he was not of sound mind at the time of his confession. «I would say it was a decision triggered by the conditions. “It was a decision I made irrationally,” Radio New Zealand quoted from the courtroom. The assassin spoke, among other things, of isolation and poor mental health, which led him to make the statements he made at the time.
According to the court, the application will be examined. The central question is whether Tarrant was unable to make rational decisions when he made the confessions due to the conditions of his imprisonment – which he described as “torturous and inhumane”. If the request is granted, the case would have to be reheard. (sda/dpa)