New Zealand Member of Parliament, Golriz Ghahraman, a prominent figure in the Green Party, has tendered her resignation amidst mounting accusations of shoplifting.
The allegations involve three instances of theft from two clothing stores, one in and another in Wellington.
The controversy escalated with the emergence of CCTV footage allegedly capturing Ms Ghahraman taking a designer handbag from an Auckland boutique, leading to her decision to step down on Tuesday.
In her resignation statement, Ms Ghahraman expressed remorse for her actions. She attributed her unusual behavior to potential work-related stress.
“I have let down a lot of people, and I am very sorry,” she stated, acknowledging that her actions fell short of the high standards expected from elected representatives.
While the 42-year-old politician has not faced criminal charges, she admitted in her resignation statement that her recent conduct is challenging to explain rationally.
Following a medical evaluation, she revealed insights from mental health professionals who associated her behavior to extreme stress response and previously unrecognized trauma.
“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,” she said. “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. 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.”
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