Suspected of Stealing from High-End Clothing Store
"Mentally Unstable... Will Take Responsibility"
A former New Zealand MP, the country's first refugee-born parliamentarian who resigned over allegations of shoplifting from a high-end clothing store, was ultimately fined by the court.
On the 28th (local time), foreign media including the New Zealand Herald reported that the Auckland District Court ruled former MP Golriz Gharaman guilty of theft and imposed a fine of 1,600 New Zealand dollars (approximately 1.34 million KRW) the previous day. Judge June Zellers explained that Gharaman was able to avoid imprisonment considering that she compensated for the stolen items, showed remorse for her wrongdoing, and was a first-time offender.
Former lawmaker Golriz Garaman, who resigned from his position on charges of theft. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
Earlier, at the end of last year, former MP Gharaman was investigated by the police on charges of stealing clothing worth about 9,000 New Zealand dollars (approximately 7.55 million KRW) from luxury clothing stores in Auckland and Wellington. When the matter became public and controversy grew, she resigned from her parliamentary position.
At the time, Gharaman issued a statement revealing that she had mental health issues. She said, "The mental health professional I consulted explained that my behavior was a reaction to extreme stress and related to trauma I had not previously recognized." She added, "I do not want to hide behind my mental health problems and will take full responsibility for my regrettable actions."
In an interview with New Zealand's 1 News released the day before, former MP Gharaman described her theft as "a self-destructive act" and said, "What I regret most is causing pain and harm to others."
Born in Iran in 1981, former MP Gharaman fled with her family to New Zealand in 1990 to escape the Iran-Iraq War. She studied law and history at the University of New Zealand and earned a master's degree in international human rights law from the University of Oxford in the UK. She then worked as a human rights lawyer at the International Criminal Court for 12 years. Later, she entered the New Zealand Parliament as a list MP in 2017 and was re-elected in the 2020 and 2023 general elections, serving as a spokesperson for the Green Party.
However, it is reported that she suffered mental distress after receiving multiple death threats following her entry into Parliament. In particular, she faced heavy criticism after actively participating in pro-Palestinian protests recently. In the interview, when asked if she would run for Parliament again if given the chance, she replied, "I would not. I believe there are better things I can do for the community," adding, "I did not break the glass ceiling. I fought hard, but shards of glass still remain on my face."
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