He just keeps trying to spread his message.The Department of Corrections says the Christchurch mosque attacks accused will no longer be able to send or receive mail, after he managed to send a "hateful" letter to a supporter from his prison cell.
"I acknowledge that this letter should not have been able to be sent," chief executive Christine Stevenson said in a statement to media.
"With immediate effect, this prisoner will not be able to send or receive any mail until we have absolute assurance that the process in place for screening and assessing his correspondence upholds the safety of the public, both in New Zealand and internationally.
"I would like to apologise for the distress that this has caused to those impacted by the tragic events of 15 March," she said.
Her comments come after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admitted something went wrong in allowing the accused to send the "hateful" letter.
Speaking from Tuvalu, Ardern said we "should have been prepared" for this type of issue and it "just should not have happened".
She said changes would be implemented and the Corrections minister would look into "whether or not our law is fit for purpose" in dealing with a "terrorist who is seeking to share hateful views and find platforms to share those views".
"Every New Zealander would have an expectation that this individual should not be able to share his hateful message from behind prison doors," the prime minister said. "This is [an] offender who has a very specific goal in mind in terms of sharing his propaganda, so we should have been prepared for that," she said.
The supporter of the accused, based in Russia, posted a copy of the letter on an alt-right website, which has been verified as authentic by Corrections.
The terror accused, a 28-year-old Australian man, is charged with 51 counts of murder, 40 counts of attempted murder, and one count of engaging in a terrorist act after the shootings at two Christchurch mosques on March 15.
He is being held in isolation in a high-security wing of Auckland Prison at Paremoremo.
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis said New Zealand had never had to manage a prisoner like him before.
"I have asked questions around whether our laws are now fit for purpose and asked for advice on what changes we may now need to make.
"I know a lot of New Zealanders will be surprised to hear that this offender is allowed to send and receive mail – but there are rights every prisoner has under the law as it stands."
Corrections can withhold correspondence under the Corrections Act, and had done so with some correspondence the man had tried to send or had been sent, Davis said.
"I do not believe that Corrections should have allowed this letter to be sent and have sought assurances from them that there will be an enhanced process from now on.
"I have made myself clear that this can not happen again."
In his letter, the accused writes about his trip to Russia in 2015, listing his favourite places in the country as St Petersburg, the view from a church on a Moscow hillside, and a monastery near a small town.
He also lists his favourite Russian songs and discusses who inspired his political and social views.
He states he is "not doing much at the moment" and cannot "go into any great detail ... as the guards will confiscate my letter ... to use as evidence".
Corrections said in an earlier statement that it acknowledged this letter should have been withheld.
"We have made changes to the management of this prisoner's mail to ensure that our robust processes are as effective as we need them to be."
Every prisoner has legislatively required minimum entitlements, including sending and receiving mail, it said.
"A prison director can only withhold a prisoner's mail in a very limited range of circumstances. Some letters have been withheld."
Reasons for withholding a prisoner's mail include the material being threatening or intimidating, endangering the welfare of any person, or encouraging or promoting offending.
Corrections earlier said the alleged gunman had no access to television, radio or newspapers and no approved visitors.
Canterbury Howard League for Penal Reform president Cos Jeffery said any law change would be "opening a can of worms".
Corrections already had the power to intercept and monitor letters.
He questioned who would decide which offences would mean a prisoner could not write letters.
"If he is writing to his mum ... what's wrong with that. But if he's writing to an activist, there are rules already set that the mail can be intercepted," Jeffery said.
"We're skating on thin ice if we cherry pick which prisoners get which rights."
National's Corrections spokesman, David Bennett, said Davis should be demanding an immediate explanation from Corrections about how the alleged gunman was able to send an "inflammatory letter" from maximum security prison.
"New Zealanders need assurances from Mr Davis that Corrections will ensure this can't happen again.
"Corrections has acknowledged this letter should have been withheld. The rights of the victims in this case and respect for them should be put above everything else."
Though I am a bit worried about what any law written to shut him up will do to anyone else behind bars.
