Jailed NZ mosque shooter wants convictions overturned

A white supremacist who ‍killed 51 Muslim worshippers and injured dozens at two ​mosques in New Zealand is appealing his conviction and sentence.

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

The ‍Australian national ​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.

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

While Tarrant pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2020, he is applying for leave to appeal his conviction and sentence

"I only entered a guilty plea under duress through torture," Tarrant wrote in the notice of appeal.

Tarrant released a racist manifesto shortly before storming the mosques armed with military-style semi-automatics, ​indiscriminately ​shooting at ​Muslims gathered for Friday prayers ​and live-streaming 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.

The hearing will begin in Wellington on Monday, with the Court of Appeal to consider an application to vacate Tarrant's guilty pleas and for a trial to be held.

If the court declines that request, Tarrant wants leave to appeal his sentence.