Brenton Tarrant appeared in court via video on 9 February 2026 from Auckland Prison in Auckland. Image Credit: AP
The white supremacist who shot dead 51 people at two mosques in New Zealand in 2019 launched a petition on Monday (Feb 9, 2026) to overturn his conviction.
Brenton Tarrant, a former Australian gym trainer, admitted to New Zealand’s deadliest modern-day mass shooting before being sentenced to life in prison in August 2020.
Also read: White supremacy angry at New Zealand mosque shooter immigrants
Now, the convicted murderer argues that the “torturous and inhumane” conditions of detention during his trial left him incapable of making rational decisions when he confessed, according to a court summary of the case.
Tarrant is housed in a special unit for high-risk prisoners at Auckland Prison, rarely interacting with inmates or other people.
According to the New Zealand Herald, Tarrant told the court, “I was not in the frame of mind or mental health to make informed decisions at the time.”
Tarrant’s mentality, he said, was that he considered trying to implicate President Donald Trump in a crime.
‘Life Without Parole’
“What I said at the time was ‘Maybe I can go out and say there’s a second shooter on the roof, maybe I can say it’s Donald J. Trump,'” he said, according to the national broadcaster. RNZ.
If the Court of Appeal in Wellington upholds Tarrant’s conviction, it will hold a separate hearing later in the year to consider an appeal against his conviction.
Also read: Christchurch shooter arrives for sentencing
His life sentence without parole was the harshest in New Zealand history.
Tarrant, armed with an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons, attacked worshipers at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15, 2019.
They published an online manifesto before the attack and then livestreamed the killings for 17 minutes.
His victims were all Muslims and included children, women and the elderly.
‘not ready’
There are heavy restrictions on who can be in court during Monday’s (February 9, 2026) appeal hearing, with only lawyers, the media and court officials allowed.
Families and friends of those killed or injured in the attack were invited to watch the proceedings via video remotely with a one-hour delay in Christchurch.
Also read: Christchurch gunman sends letter from prison
Members of the public will be able to watch the proceedings via video link with a one-hour delay at a separate court in Wellington.
Aya al-Umari, whose brother Hussain was killed by a tarant inside the Linwood mosque, told Christchurch. Pres She thought “it was the end” when Tarrant was sentenced.
“You didn’t know you were allowed to do this after six years. I wasn’t ready to do this,” she said.
The trial is ongoing before three Court of Appeal judges.
In most appeals court hearings the judge reserves the right to announce his decision at a later date, meaning a ruling is unlikely this week.
Also read: Christchurch massacre: a wake-up call
After Tarrant’s livestream, Facebook said it removed 1.5 million videos showing the viral footage that went viral in the first 24 hours.
Then-prime minister Jacinda Ardern later moved quickly to pressure social media giants to tighten gun laws and crack down on online extremism.
In 2021, Tarrant’s former attorney, Tony Ellis, argued that the plea was made under duress, believing that his client “would have taken the easy way out to plead guilty.”
The court suppressed the name of Tarrant’s current attorney.
Published – February 09, 2026 09:33 am IST
