The former member of the New Zealand Parliament, Gulriz Kahraman, was arrested on Wednesday, January 17 (March 27) for shoplifting.

She, who took political asylum in New Zealand with her family as a child, has also worked as a spokeswoman for the center-left “Green” party.

Kahraman is the first immigrant in New Zealand who made her way to the parliament of this country. After she was accused of shoplifting, she resigned from her post and said she needed psychiatric treatment.

Police went to her home on Wednesday morning and said in a statement that she was “charged with shoplifting as part of a public interest investigation.”

The police have not named Kahraman, but reports about her connection to the case have been widely published in the New Zealand media.

“A 43-year-old woman has been summoned to Auckland City Court for shoplifting,” a police statement said.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on February 1.

Before her theft allegations were made public, Kahraman was criticized for participating in pro-Palestinian protests.

James Shaw, leader of the Green Party of New Zealand, said that these criticisms of Kahraman have increased the pressure on her for six years in Parliament.

“Gulriz herself has been subjected to sexual and physical violence and death threats since the day of her appointment,” Shaw told reporters on Tuesday.

This former human rights lawyer was a member of the New Zealand Parliament for six years and resigned from her seat on Tuesday.

In a statement, Kahraman said, the work-related pressures on her caused her to “do things that are not compatible with her position and personality. I do not justify my actions, but I want to provide an explanation about it.” I will.”

After graduating from the Faculty of Law, Gulrez Kahraman was a UN human rights lawyer and worked at the International Criminal Court before winning a seat in Parliament in 2017.