- Pistorius granted parole
- Conditions include supervision, restrictions
- Mixed reactions in South Africa
The former Paralympic champion was released from a South African prison today and is now at home, according to the country’s correctional services department. Parole was granted to the individual in November.
Approaching eleven years since he murdered his fiancée in a case that made international headlines, Oscar Pistorius was granted parole.
The emancipated former Paralympic champion, once dubbed the “blade runner,” was released from a South African prison today and is now at home, according to the country’s correctional services. He was granted parole in November.
Pistorius fatally shot Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria residence on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
The 37-year-old stated that he mistook her for an intruder and discharged his firearm through a restroom door.
According to prosecutors, the murder was premeditated, and he shot Ms. Steenkamp as she retreated to the lavatory after an altercation.
What are the parole conditions for Pistorius?
Pistorius’ parole is set to expire in December 2029, during which time he will be subject to supervision and restrictions by a correctional services official.
In addition to restrictions on when he is permitted to leave his residence, the parole conditions stipulate that he must refrain from consuming alcohol and attend therapy for “gender-based violence issues” and temper management. He will be required to conduct community service as well.
Pistorius shall be required to attend periodic parole officer meetings and shall be subject to unannounced visits from law enforcement. Notifying a Department of Corrections official of significant life events, such as seeking employment or relocating, will be mandatory.
It was anticipated that he would remain in the Waterkloof district mansion owned by his uncle in Pretoria, and he will not be permitted to depart without permission.
If any of the conditions of his parole are violated, he risks being remanded to prison.
“No amount of time served will be sufficient to bring Reeva back.”
Ms. Steenkamp’s mother, in a statement shared by the Steenkamp family attorney, inquired, “Has Reeva received justice? Has Oscar completed his sentence? When a loved one is irretrievably lost, justice cannot exist. Reeva will not return, and no amount of time served will do so.
June Steenkamp stated, “Those of us who remain behind are the ones serving a life sentence.” My sole aspiration is that Oscar Pistorius be granted clemency, enabling me to spend my final years in tranquility while maintaining my dedication to the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, which serves as an enduring testament to Reeva’s legacy.
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The parole board’s conditions, according to her, “send a clear message that gender-based violence is taken seriously” and thus have strengthened her faith in the South African justice system.
Pistorius’s sentencing was increased subsequent to its evaluation as “reprehensibly lenient.”
In a live television case, Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide (equivalent to manslaughter) after an initial acquittal of murder.
In 2014, he received a five-year prison sentence, which was subsequently commuted to house detention.
A year later, the South African supreme court overturned the conviction and remanded him for homicide.
In 2016, Pistorius was sentenced to six years in prison. It was subsequently extended to thirteen years and five months after the sentence was described as “reprehensibly lenient.”
In South Africa, parole becomes available to serious offenders upon completion of a minimum of half of their sentence.
Reaction muted to release
In March 2023, Pistorius was denied parole; the court ruled that his application was submitted prematurely.
However, his attorney argued that the court’s calculations were flawed, and the ruling was in his favour eight months later.
In South Africa, reaction to Pistorius’s parole has been comparatively subdued, which stands in striking contrast to the days and months following the murder of Ms. Steenkamp when irate demonstrations erupted outside court hearings, demanding a lengthy prison term for him.
Themba Masango, secretary-general of Not In My Name International, an organisation that campaigns against violence against women, stated, “He has checked all the necessary boxes. We can only hope and wish that Oscar Pistorius emerges as a better person.”
We have a tendency to overlook the possibility that an individual could be rehabilitated.
