Former Paralympic star Pistorius parole denied

South Africa's Prisons Commission today rejected a parole request for South African amputee Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, convicted of killing his girlfriend Riva Steenkamp 10 years ago. The prison chambers informed, surprisingly to everyone and in a brief press release, that the refusal is linked to the fact that the convict has not yet served a sufficient part of his sentence to be able to obtain early release.

"The inmate has not completed the minimum period of detention, as set by the Supreme Court of Appeal," the statement said, the last panel to convict Pistorius in 2017 after several appeals. In a brief note obtained by AFP, dated Tuesday, this court clarified that the sentence imposed starts from the date of his conviction in 2017 and not from his first conviction in 2014.

Welcoming the decision, the victim's family's lawyer, Tanya Quinn, told AFP that "the request has been rejected" and "will be reviewed within a year".
Prison services spokesman Singabajo Inxomalo told reporters that Pistorius will only complete the minimum required until August 2024, when he can apply for early release again.

Pistorius, 36, shot dead his girlfriend, model Riva Steenkamp, in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013, when he opened fire four times through the bathroom door of his home equipped with advanced security in the city of Pretoria.
He pleaded not guilty by denying that Steinkamp was killed in a rage, noting that he thought he was shooting a thief.
Pistorius, nicknamed "Blade Runner" for his carbon fiber prostheses, was sentenced to 13 years behind bars.

A specialist committee met this morning at Atreidgville prison near Pretoria, where the former athlete is serving his sentence. South African law stipulates that a person convicted of murder can benefit from early release once half of their sentence has been completed.

Steinkamp's parents expressed opposition to his early release, believing that Pistorius never told the truth. The victim's mother, John, said she was sad when she got out of the prison "I can't believe his story." A year before Steenkamp was killed, Pistorius, whose legs were amputated at the age of 11, became the first amputee runner to compete at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Two weeks later, he won gold in the 400m and 4-time 100m relay at the Paralympic Games, finished second in the 200m, and at Beijing 2008 won 100m, 200m and 400m Paralympic golds. After London 2012, he became a worldwide sports icon that sponsors were eager for.

But his achievements collapsed after the murder, after his trial made headlines around the world. He was initially sentenced to six years in prison, but the sentence was later extended to 13 after South African prosecutors appealed the decision as "shamefully tolerant".