Victim Support is helping overseas-based victims and family members get to New Zealand to witness the gunman's sentencing next month.
Victim Support is helping overseas-based victims and family members get to New Zealand to witness the gunman's sentencing next month.
Dozens of overseas-based victims and families have applied for special border passes to fly into New Zealand and witness the Christchurch mosque gunman's sentencing next month.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) confirmed to the Herald today it has received 66 requests for border exceptions under the Christchurch Humanitarian criteria and other benchmarks.
The special rules, which were announced on July 10, were set up to help victims and families based overseas get to New Zealand to watch the mosque shooter sentenced.
Fifty-one people died in the March 15, 2019 mosque shootings in Christchurch.
INZ has already issued 34 invitations to apply for a border exception while 11 people have been refused.
Any new arrivals will have to undergo managed quarantine under Covid-19 border regulations for two weeks.
"We want to support our valued Muslim brothers and sisters who were directly affected by this tragic event and understand that some who are now offshore do want to attend the sentencing," Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway said.
Victim Support says it's currently helping 11 families - 23 people – of the deceased and 19 attempted murder victims who have requested assistance to attend the trial.
A spokesman said they are "working closely with them to arrange their travel to New Zealand but it is dependent on available flights.
A total of 13 people have had their travel approved, with six international flights and three domestic already booked. A further four international flights are in the process of being booked.
Victim Support is helping overseas-based victims and family members get to New Zealand to witness the gunman's sentencing next month.
"Since the Government announcements of 10 July expanding eligibility for financial assistance and border exceptions, we have made comprehensive contact with victims to ask them to contact us as soon as possible with their plans," the Victim Support spokesman said.
"We want to make sure no one who wants to travel to sentencing - and is eligible to do so - misses the limited timeframe in which to arrange it.
"We recognise these factors make getting everyone who wants to attend trial into New Zealand a challenge."
Fifty-one Muslims were massacred at the Al Noor Masjid and Linwood Islamic Centre mosques in Christchurch during Friday prayers on March 15 last year.
The 29-year-old Australian national who has admitted being the killer, will be sentenced over several days starting August 24.
Along with the murders, the gunman has been convicted on all charges, including 40 counts of attempted murder relating to the two mosque attacks - and pleaded guilty to one charge of engaging in a terrorist act laid under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002.
His sentencing has been delayed by the global coronavirus pandemic, but earlier this month it was confirmed that it would begin on August 24 in the city his terror attack took place – and the hearing could last three or more days.
The Ministry of Justice, alongside the courts, has been working to put in place "technology options", including a livestreaming link, to help victims who are overseas and unable to travel to view the sentencing hearing and read a victim impact statements remotely.
