Ghahraman, New Zealand's first refugee elected to parliament, resigned from her political duties on January 16, explaining the need to prioritise her mental health.
A 43-year-old former New Zealand lawmaker, Golriz Ghahraman, was convicted of shoplifting on Thursday in a scandal that has set back her political journey.
Ghahraman, New Zealand's first refugee elected to parliament, resigned from her political duties on January 16, explaining the need to prioritise her mental health.
It was gathered that the police charged Ghahraman with shoplifting from clothing stores.
She, however, pleaded guilty in March to four counts of shoplifting after stealing around NZ$9,000 worth (US$5,500) of items late last year from shops in Auckland and Wellington.
AFP reports that the deputy registrar stated that Ghahraman, who previously served as her party’s justice spokeswoman, was fined NZ$1,600 and ordered to pay NZ$260 in costs at Auckland District Court.
Judge June Jelas explained that Ghahraman's show of remorse, repayment for the stolen items, and the fact that she was a first-time offender meant she avoided a jail sentence.
In a pre-recorded interview with TVNZ that aired on Thursday, Ghahraman stated that she shoplifted because she wanted to exit politics due to the stress she was experiencing.
“It was self-sabotage,” she added. “My great regret is to have caused other people distress and harm because I couldn’t stop and say ‘there is something wrong with you, get help’ or ‘quit,’ which is what I should have done.”
Ghahraman, who was born in Iran, relocated to New Zealand with her family at a young age after they were granted political asylum, seeking refuge and a new life in the Pacific nation.
After studying law, she pursued a career as a United Nations human rights lawyer, working on international criminal tribunals before entering parliament in 2017.
Meanwhile, former Green Party co-leader James Shaw stated that Ghahraman had faced "continuous threats" since entering parliament and that the pressure had intensified before her offences.