New Zealand ‘Refugee’ MP Resigns Over Shoplifting Allegations

Ghahraman, who came to Auckland as a child seeking political asylum from Iran, became the first refugee to be elected to New Zealand’s Parliament. She is a former United Nations human rights lawyer.

On Tuesday, Golriz Ghahraman resigned from her role as a Green Party Member of Parliament over allegations that she had stolen three items from two clothing stores. Ghahraman, who has not been charged, previously held her party’s justice portfolio. The 43-year-old said that work-related stress caused her to behave out of character.

“It is clear to me that my mental health is being badly affected by the stresses relating to my work,” Ghahraman said in a public statement. “This has led me 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."

“People should, rightly, expect the highest standards of behavior from their elected representatives. I fell short. I’m sorry. It’s not a behavior I can explain because it’s not rational in any way, and after medical evaluation, I understand I’m not well. The mental health professional I see says my recent behavior is consistent with recent events giving rise to extreme stress response, and relating to previously unrecognized trauma,” she said.

“With that in mind, I don’t want to hide behind my mental health problems, and I take full responsibility for my actions which I deeply regret,” the MP added. “I have let down a lot of people and I am very sorry.”

“The best thing for my mental health is to resign as a Member of Parliament and to focus on my recovery and to find other ways to work for positive change in the world," she said.

The shoplifting allegations, which Ghahraman did not address, first arose in New Zealand media earlier this month. The MP made her resignation about 17 hours after a third shoplifting allegation was made against her. A CCTV video of the MP appearing to shoplift a designer handbag from a Scotties Boutique in Ponsonby, Auckland was also published.

Green Party leaders James Shaw and Marama Davidson spoke during a press conference, saying they supported her decision to resign.

“Obviously Parliament is a stressful place for anybody, but Ghahraman has been subject to continuous threats of sexual violence, physical violence, and death threats,” said Shaw. "There have been police investigations into those threats almost the entire time that she has been a member of parliament, and so obviously if you're living with that level of threat in what is already quite a stressful situation then there are going to be consequences for that".

Shaw refused to comment on the allegations, adding that what is “important” is that Ghahraman is taking responsibility.

“I’m losing a friend and a colleague who I have been close to and have worked with for six years,” added Davidson.

Police are reportedly investigating three alleged shoplifting incidents, two which occurred at Scotties in December and one which occurred at a high-end Wellington store called Cre8ivework in October.