Oscar Pistorius,Former Olympic Athlete Convicted of Murder, Has been Released

Oscar Pistorius, the former South African Paralympic and Olympic hailed as an inspirational figure until he was convicted of killing his girlfriend, was released on parole on Friday after more than seven years in prison.

Mr. Pistorius quietly left a Pretoria prison, away from the public glare that characterized his high-profile trial nearly a decade ago, and the subsequent stop-start legal proceedings that continued until his parole hearing last November.

Singabakho Nxumalo, a spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services, said in a statement released just after 8:30 a.m. local time that Mr. Pistorius was “now at home.” The authorities declined to disclose further details about his release, including when or how he had left the prison.

Mr. Pistorius was granted parole on the basis that he had served half of a 15-year sentence for murder. In 2013, Mr. Pistorius shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, through a locked bathroom door before dawn, killing her.

The court case drew global headlines and intense interest. Mr. Pistorius, a double amputee, had gained international acclaim first as a Paralympic athlete and then for competing in the Olympic Games, and Ms. Steenkamp was a model and reality-television star.

Reeva Steenkamp and Mr. Pistorius in February 2013.Credit…Thembani Makhubele/Reuters

The trial, which was televised, spanned seven months. Audiences heard the testimony of almost 40 witnesses and watched as Mr. Pistorius sobbed in the South African courtroom.

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This week, the South African authorities emphasized that Mr. Pistorius’s “elevated public profile” would not afford him any special treatment. The authorities forbade him to speak to reporters, in line with regulations restricting media interactions.

“Inmates and parolees are never paraded,” the department said in a statement.

Mr. Pistorius will be under parole supervision until 2029, when his sentence officially ends. Now 37, he is expected to live with his family, and must remain in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital. He must also attend rehabilitation programs and is barred from consuming alcohol or any banned substances, the department said.