Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has ignored widespread criticism by continuing to show footage of the Christchurch mosque massacre at his campaign rallies.
The Turkish leader has been using clips from the attack to denounce Islamophobia ahead of March 31 local elections as he tries to stoke nationalist and religious sentiments.
Speaking at the northern town of Eregli on Tuesday, the president called on New Zealand to restore the death penalty for the gunman who killed 50 people at two mosques on Friday.
'If New Zealand fails to hold the attacker accountable, one way or another we will hold him to account,' he said.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan (pictured) called on New Zealand to restore the death penalty for the gunman who killed 50 people at two mosques, during a rally on Tuesday
Erdogan also showed footage of the Christchurch attack to a crowd (pictured) of thousands in a bid to to denounce Islamophobia ahead of March 31 local elections
'There are no sentences longer than 15 years in our laws,' he continued.
'What are you saying? [Someone] is going to slaughter 50 Muslims who are worshipping, and there's no such article in your laws?
'This is human life. How cheap is human life. If there's no such thing in your laws, then make new legislative regulations, and don't give murderers like these a right to life.'
Erdogan also took aim at New Zealand and Australia for sending troops to Turkey in the World War I Gallipoli campaign, claiming their motive was anti-Islam oriented.
'Why did you come here? What business did you have here? We had no issues with you, why did you come all the way over here? The only reason: we're Muslim, and they're Christian.'
The president has been criticised for exploiting the video footage even as authorities have cracked down on the internet and social media to stop the clips from spreading.
The country's opposition party accused Erdogan of playing the footage 'for the sake of [winning] three or five votes.'
Facebook announced on
