The parole conditions for former Paralympian athlete Oscar Pistorius, convicted of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013, were highlighted by Tania Koen, the lawyer representing Reeva’s mother, June Steenkamp.
The specified conditions for Pistorius’s parole include mandatory attendance at anger management classes and gender-based violence courses.
The Parole Board in Pretoria granted Pistorius parole yesterday, but he will not be released from Atteridgeville prison until January 5 next year.
Pistorius had been serving a 13-year and five-month sentence for the murder. The parole conditions set for his release have been under scrutiny, with particular attention to how they reflect the impact of his actions on the victim’s family.
June Steenkamp’s lawyer, Tania Koen, emphasised the importance of her client’s victim impact statement in influencing the parole board’s decisions.
Koen expressed satisfaction with the imposed conditions, underscoring their significance on the first day of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
“We are pleased with the conditions that the parole board has decided to impose, especially in light of tomorrow being the first day of 16 days of activism. It is important that perpetrators know that there will be consequences. The consequences here being that he must go to anger management classes and secondly, courses on gender-based violence, and that sends out a good message to society,” Koen stated.
Convicted murderer and former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius paroled:
QUESTION OF THE DAY: After being sentenced to 13 years in jail, Oscar Pistorius has now been granted parole. What do you think of this decision?
With @FrancisHerd #SABCNews #FullView #OscarPistorius pic.twitter.com/3Gwx8arT5f
— SABC Full View (@SABCFullView) November 24, 2023
