Wellington: A New Zealand Greens MP resigned on Monday after media alleged she shoplifted from upscale local stores on at least three occasions.
Without addressing the accusations specifically, Member of Parliament Gulriz Gehraman said in a statement that mental health problems and work pressures led to her behaving in a way that was completely out of character.
Screenshots of Gulrez Gahraman.
“People should, rightly, expect the highest standards of behavior from their elected representatives. I fell short. I'm sorry. This is not behavior that I can explain away as it is irrational in any way, and after a medical evaluation, I realize that I am not feeling well,” she said in her statement. “.
Iranian-born Ghahraman, who has been a member of parliament since 2017 and was the first refugee to become an MP, is accused of theft at a Scotties store in Ponsonby, Auckland, and at Cre8iveworkz in Wellington, local media reported.
Green Party MP Gulriz Gehraman.credit: NZ stuff
Ghahraman promoted the rights of refugees and migrants The New York Times mentioned. In 2020, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the outlet reported.
New Zealand police said in a statement they were investigating an incident at a Ponsonby store in December, but did not provide any further details. They did not confirm that the incident was related to Jahraman.
Ghahraman said she thanked Scotty's for their kindness and compassion.
Green Party co-leader James Shaw said that while Parliament was a stressful place for everyone, Ghahraman had a particularly difficult time because she had received numerous threats from members of the public since coming to office.
