MP resigns over shoplifting allegations

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

Golriz Ghahraman, a member of Parliament for the center-left Green Party and its justice spokesperson, is being investigated by police after three allegations of theft from boutique clothing shops.

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

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 behavior is consistent with recent events giving rise to extreme stress response, and relating to previously unrecognised trauma.