WELLINGTON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Green Party Members of Parliament (MP) Golriz Ghahraman resigned from Parliament on Tuesday after allegations of shoplifting in clothing shops.
"It is clear to me that my mental health is being badly affected by the stresses relating to my work. This has led me to act in ways that are completely out of character," Ghahraman 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 unrecognized trauma," she said.
"I have let down a lot of people, and I am very sorry," she added.
"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," Ghahraman said.
Ghahraman, who sought political asylum with her family as a nine-year-old when they moved from Iran to New Zealand in 1990, was the first refugee elected to New Zealand's Parliament and has served from 2017.
She made improvements to the New Zealand electoral laws governing donations and overseas voting. She works on portfolios including justice, defense, and foreign affairs.
"Green MPs are expected to maintain high standards of public behavior," Green Party Co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw said, adding that Ghahraman "has worked tirelessly on behalf of her communities."
The three allegations involved two clothing retailers in Auckland and Wellington, evidenced by her shoplifting images in the stores in October and December 2023.
Police are investigating these allegations. ■
