Pistorius - dubbed "Blade Runner" because of his carbon fibre prosthetic legs - shot dead 29-year-old model Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day 2013.
Oscar Pistorius at his trial in 2013. Photo: Reuters
Pistorius has repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he fired four shots into the bathroom of his home in Pretoria, South Africa. Pistorius has launched several appeals against his conviction on that basis.
“We who are left behind are the ones serving a life sentence,” said Reeva’s mother, June Steenkamp, adding that her only wish was to be allowed to live in peace after Pistorius was released on parole.
Pistorius, now 37, spent about eight and a half years in prison, as well as seven months under house arrest, before being convicted of murder. The parole board decided in November that he could be released after completing more than half of his sentence.
Oscar Pistorius poses with his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in Johannesburg on January 26, 2013. Photo: AFP
The South African Correctional Service said in a brief statement that Pistorius had been made a "parolee, effective 5 January 2024" and was now at home.
A monitoring officer will monitor him until his sentence expires in December 2029, whom Pistorius will have to notify if he seeks employment opportunities or moves to a new address.
Pistorius' pardon has sparked protests from the women's rights community in South Africa and around the world. Women For Change spokesperson Bulelwa Adonis said it set a bad precedent. She said an average of 12 women were murdered in South Africa every day.
Pistorius runs on the Olympic Stadium during the 400-meter race at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Photo: Wiki
Pistorius was once widely admired and idolised in the sporting world. He was even seen as a leading role model for disabled athletes, whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete alongside able-bodied athletes at major sporting events.
In August 2012, months before he shot his girlfriend, Pistorius became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics, when the tournament took place in London - where he even reached the semi-finals of the 400m, despite competing against able-bodied athletes. Before that, Pistorius had won two gold medals at the Paralympics and countless other championships for disabled athletes.
Hoang Anh (according to CNN, Reuters, AFP)
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