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By: AFP
Golriz Ghahraman, a former New Zealand legislator and justice spokesperson for the Green Party, has been charged with shoplifting, one day after she resigned from the legislative body. Ghahraman, the first refugee elected to New Zealand’s parliament, resigned, citing the need to address her mental health amidst news reports connecting her to allegations of shoplifting from upscale clothing stores.
On Wednesday, police interviewed Ghahraman at her residence and subsequently issued a statement, confirming charges “as part of an investigation into shoplifting reports that are subject to ongoing public interest.” While the police did not initially disclose the identity of the charged woman, Ghahraman was widely recognized in New Zealand media.
The police statement specified, “A 43-year-old woman has been summonsed to appear in the Auckland District Court on two charges of shoplifting.” She is slated to appear in court on February 1.
A former human rights lawyer and six-year Member of Parliament, Ghahraman explained her resignation in a Tuesday statement, attributing her actions to work-related stress, acknowledging they were “completely out of character.” While not excusing her behavior, she expressed the need to address her mental health and admitted falling short of political standards.
Born in Iran, Ghahraman moved to New Zealand as a child under political asylum. After studying law, she worked as a United Nations human rights lawyer on international criminal tribunals before entering parliament in 2017. Prior to the public revelation of shoplifting allegations, Ghahraman faced criticism for her prominent role in pro-Palestine protests.
Green Party co-leader James Shaw noted the mounting pressure on Ghahraman during her involvement in pro-Palestine demonstrations, acknowledging the continuous threats she faced, including sexual violence, physical violence, and death threats, since her election in 2017.
