Last year’s Christchurch shooting massacre by an Australian gunman in New Zealand that ended the life of 51 people sent chilling waves around the world. The act of hatred against a community and murdering the people was overpowered by the lack of empathy and emotion when the murderer filmed the video of the entire state of affairs and uploaded it live on a social media platform.

The white supremacism was just another being who bore the sense of hatred that fed to his beliefs and thought processes. The manner in which the incident was carried out only indicates the kind of uncertainty that leers over our head at all times, respectively. Amongst the victim who succumbed to the injuries, there was a child aged around 3-4 years, clinging to his father in fear and horror. The fear of beholding the bereavement from one own’s eyes and the horror of being unable to do anything about it.

The families of the victims and survivors gave an entire account of how this very incident has impacted their lives, which will be desolate and heartbreaking to hear, to say the very least. They insisted that the accused should get reprimanded and punished for the dreadful act.

The Capital Punishment

New Zealand does not have a death penalty, but various people who were directly associated and affected with the act demanded for the same in the case of the gunman. The death penalty, perhaps sound an easy and convenient consequence for any terrorizing act but does this actually make a difference? This does give a sense of relief to the victim because they see some kind of penalty being imposed on the accused and somehow balance getting maintained in return. First World countries have abolished capital punishment because it was considered inhuman and ruthless. However, countries like India, China still maintains capital punishment because the extent of crime does not get reduced and will eventually make people fearless of the laws intact.

The gunman was given life imprisonment without parole which he accepted exclusively. He did not seem to be bothered by any of the comments being made by the crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh or Judge Cameron Mander about his empathy less act – this further signified that he was not guilty or apologetic regarding the same.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern criticized this act and received this punishment with full consideration and empathy, she also urged the victims and their community to maintain a sense of support and tolerance in these difficult times. This decision may have brought a feeling of content amongst the people who lost their loved ones, even though things for them cannot go back to the way it was. People may have moved on and begun with their lives, but the loss can not be mitigated in any circumstances.

This was a first for New Zealand to impose a life imprisonment without parole and this change was welcomed seeing the gravity of the act and intensity of the situation.

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