New Zealand MP Golriz Ghahraman resigns after being accused of shoplifting at clothing stores

The Green Party lawmaker is being investigated by police after three allegations of retail theft that she blamed on personal stress and trauma

‘I have let down a lot of people and I am very sorry,’ Ghahraman, the first refugee to be elected to New Zealand’s parliament, said

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New Zealand MP Golriz Ghahraman said she had fallen short of the standards expected of politicians. Photo: X/golrizghahraman

Published: 9:13am, 16 Jan 2024Updated: 12:10pm, 16 Jan 2024

The first refugee to be elected to New Zealand’s parliament resigned on Tuesday over alleged shoplifting, which she said was related to personal stress and trauma.

Golriz Ghahraman, an MP for the centre-left Green Party and its justice spokesperson, is being investigated by police after three allegations of retail theft.

The lawmaker, a former human rights lawyer, said her actions were “not a behaviour I can explain”.

But Ghahraman conceded she had fallen short of the standards expected of politicians and needed time to address her mental health.

Work-related stress led her to “act in ways that are completely out of character. I am not trying to excuse my actions, but I do want to explain them”, she said in a statement.

“The mental health professional I see says my recent behaviour is consistent with recent events giving rise to extreme stress response, and relating to previously unrecognised trauma.