Authorities are keeping tight-lipped about whether the mosque gunman's family will attend his sentencing.
Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
Convicted terrorist Brenton Tarrant will be sentenced in the High Court at Christchurch next week for the murder of 51 worshippers at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques on 15 March last year.
He has also pleaded guilty to 40 counts of attempted murder and one charge under the Terrorism Suppression Act.
Authorities have confirmed more than 50 victims, their family members or supporters have travelled from overseas for the hearing.
The government last month introduced an exception to New Zealand's current border restrictions for victim's and their supporters to apply for short-term visa exemptions to attend in person.
An Immigration New Zealand spokesperson said 33 such visas had been approved and some applied to multiple members of one family.
Others travelling from overseas were already New Zealand citizens or residents.
But it remained unclear whether the Australian gunman's family would be allowed to witness the sentencing in person.
The spokesperson said the humanitarian exemptions would not apply to them.
"The policy for the Christchurch humanitarian border exception criteria is very specific," they said.
"Individuals directly affected by the terrorist attacks at the Christchurch mosques and their family and support people must be eligible to receive funding under the Victim Support Manaaki Tangata Victim Financial Assistance scheme to be granted an exception under this criteria.
"Anyone else wanting to travel to New Zealand would need to be granted a border exception under the other border exception criteria. Any requests would be considered in line with the requirements under each criteria."
But Immigration New Zealand would not comment on whether any applications linked to the gunman's family had been received.
Minister in charge of managed isolation Megan Woods and the Ministry of Justice also declined to comment.
Immigration New Zealand's website stated exceptions to the border restrictions would only be granted if "we consider that you have a critical purpose for travel while the border is closed and grant you a visa which recognises this".
The courts had also made arrangements for those unable to attend to witness the sentencing by digital livestream.
