Dozens of New Zealanders have been charged with possessing the live-streamed video of the Christchurch mosque terror attacks.

Up to 35 Kiwis have been charged by police for holding the now-banned footage of the March shooting, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reports.

The country’s Chief Censor classified the video as objectionable, meaning anyone who knowingly possesses it in New Zealand can be jailed for up to 14 years.

Australian Brenton Tarrant allegedly recorded himself gunning down worshippers at two Christchurch mosques and lifestreamed the footage online. The March 15 attacks killed 51 men. women and children and wounded a further 50.

A manifesto purportedly written by Tarrant, a white supremacist, and posted online has also been classified as objectionable.

The information around the charges has been released under the Official Information Act.

The 28-year-old from Griffith in NSW will stand trial next year on charges of terrorism, murder and attempted murder.

media_camera Accused Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant stands in the dock during his appearance at the Christchurch District Court on June 14. Picture: Mark Mitchell/ AFP

media_camera New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern consoles Nadia Stas, who lost her son-in-law and a grandchild in the Christchurch terror attacks. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Last month it was revealed proceedings could be delayed for several weeks to avoid clashing with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The trial was scheduled to start on May 3, 2020, in Christchurch.

But prosecutors they were working with court officials to see if they could fulfil the wishes of survivors and victims’ families by postponing the trial until the end of Ramadan in late May.

During a hearing last month, lawyers for Tarrant asked if the venue for the trial could be changed to Auckland, where Tarrant is being held at a maximum-security prison, RNZ reported.

Judge Cameron Mander plans to hear arguments for the venue change during the next hearing on October 3.

On August 15, prison officials were forced to apologise after Tarrant was allowed to send a six-page letter from his jail cell to a supporter.

The letter, which authorities said espoused his “hateful views”, was then posted to the 4chan message board — where Tarrant originally posted his manifesto and massacre lifestream.

It was a massive embarrassment to authorities, who had been tasked with ensuring he was denied a platform to spread hate speech.

The handwritten note, dated August 4 and signed by the alleged gunman, is still doing the rounds online.

The image below shows an envelope with a stamp that says “Auckland Prison”, with the name Brenton Tarrant written above the return address.

media_camera The letter sent by alleged Christchurch terrorist Brenton Tarrant. Picture: Supplied

media_camera A still from accused Christchurch gunman Brenton Tarrant’s lifestream of the mosque attacks which left 51 dead and wounded 50 more. Picture: AFP

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who has promised never to mention Tarrant by name, was furious.

“Corrections themselves have acknowledged the failing here … this individual should not be able to share his hateful message from behind prison doors,” she said.

Corrections Department Chief Executive Christine Stevenson apologised for the distress the letter may have caused to victims of the March 15 attacks and said Tarrant had been stopped from sending or receiving any more letters until the department had processes in place to ensure the safety of the public.

Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis told RNZ that Tarrant had sent seven letters since he’d been in jail and had written two more letters that prison staff had withheld.

Mr Davis said Tarrant sent two of the letters to his mother but didn’t know who had received the other five letters.

The online posting of the letter came at a sensitive time, with other alleged killers from El Paso, Texas, to Norway citing Tarrant as an inspiration.

Ms Ardern has vowed never to utter Tarrant’s name in order to deny him the publicity she says he craves, his letter even more of an embarrassment for the government.

“I think every New Zealander would have an expectation that this individual should not be able to share his hateful message from behind bars,” she said.

Christchurch shooting survivors: Moment emergency exit failed Christchurch shooting survivors tell of the moment they were trapped inside Al Noor mosque when emergency exits failed.

Originally published as Dozens charged over terror video