Turkey’s president calls on New Zealand to bring back death penalty after terrorist attack

Erdogan called for New Zealand to enforce the death penalty for the Australian gunman who killed 50 people at two Mosques in Christchurch last Friday. Erdogan threatened that Turkey would make the gunman pay for his act if New Zealand did not.

‘You heinously killed 50 of our siblings. You will pay for this. If New Zealand doesn't make you, we know how to make you pay one way or another,’ Erdogan said at an election rally of thousands in northern Turkey.

Erdogan said Turkey should not have abolished the death penalty 15 years ago, adding that New Zealand should make legal arrangements so that the Christchurch gunman could face capital punishment.

"If the New Zealand parliament doesn't make this decision I will continue to argue this with them constantly. The necessary action needs to be taken,’ Erdogan said.

New Zealand foreign minister warns Erdogan not to show mosque shooting footage

Erdogan faced scrutiny from New Zealand foreign minister Winston Peters, after he showed video footage of the live-streamed graphic shootings, as well as extracts from a "manifesto" posted by the attacker, which was later taken down.

Peters said he told Turkey’s foreign minister and vice president that showing the video could put New Zealanders living abroad in danger.

‘Anything of that nature that misrepresents this country, given that this was a non-New Zealand citizen, imperils the future and safety of the New Zealand people and our people abroad, and that is totally unfair,’ Peters said.

Despite warnings from Peters, Erdogan showed the footage and his manifesto agaub during a speech on Tuesday.

Erdogan said the gunman issued threats against Turkey with the intention of driving Turks from Turkey's north western, European region.