South Africa’s former Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius – who was jailed for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp – will be barred from drinking alcohol or giving media interviews when he is released on parole on Friday, the prison department has said.
Pistorius fired four times through a bathroom door at his home in the capital, Pretoria, on Valentine’s Day 2013, killing Steenkamp.
Now 37, he was sentenced by an appeal court in 2017 to 13 years and five months in prison for Steenkamp’s murder, overturning a previous, more lenient punishment of six years.
Pistorius pleaded not guilty to the charge, saying he mistook her for a burglar.
Under South African law, all offenders are entitled to be considered for parole once they have served half their total sentence.
The department said that “general parole conditions” would apply to Pistorius, and his high public profile would not result in him being treated differently.
“For example, he will be expected to be home at particular hours of the day. He may not consume alcohol or other prohibited substances.”
“Participation in programmes identified by the parole board will also be compulsory for him.
“As [with] other parolees, Pistorius is restricted from conducting media interviews,” the department added.
