Almost eleven years after the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, South Africa’s former top athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison on parole. He must adhere to strict requirements.
Former South African sprint star Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison on parole. He left the Atteridgeville Correctional Center in the South African capital Pretoria, the prison authority said. For “security” reasons, the prison authority had not previously announced the time or other details of his release from prison.
Strict probation conditions apply to Pistorius: he is only allowed to leave his place of residence with permission. He must also complete a rehabilitation program: This includes community service and anti-aggression training. His probation period lasts until 2029.
Pistorius, 37, was found guilty of shooting his then-girlfriend Reena Steenkamp through the bathroom door on Valentine’s Day 2013. He maintained until the end that he thought she was an intruder. The prosecution, however, said that Steenkamp fled to the toilet during an argument and that Pistorius killed her in anger. In the trial, Pistorius testified that he fired several times because he feared there was a burglar behind the door.
Once a celebrated athlete
The sprint star, who was amputated below both knees, was initially sentenced to five years in prison in 2014 for the crime and later to 13 years and five months in prison for manslaughter. Inmates in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole after serving half of their sentence. Pistorius was granted parole last November.
At the time of the crime, Pistorius was at the peak of his career. At the 2012 Paralympic Games he won six gold medals on specially made carbon prostheses. As a child, his legs were amputated below the knees due to a genetic defect.
Stephan Ueberbach, ARD Johannesburg, tagesschau, January 5th, 2024 9:23 a.m