Pistorius' parole suspended

South Africa's justice ministry announced on Wednesday that Oscar Pistorius' release from prison has been delayed pending a second review by the parole board. The athlete was originally expected to be released on Friday after having served 10 months of his five-year sentence for manslaughter.

Department of Justice spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga told local media that a new review is necessary because Pistorius was approved for release into house arrest too early. His parole was first approved in June, when he had only been in prison for eight months, but Mhaga said he should have served the full 10 months before being considered for early release.

Mhaga declined to say when the parole board would meet again to debate Pistorius' case.

Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison last October for the culpable homicide ( a charge equivalent to manslaughter) of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013. The paralympic athlete - who gained international fame after competing against able-bodied runners at the London Summer Olympics in 2012 - said he mistook the 29-year-old model and law student for an intruder.

The release into house arrest of convicted criminals who exhibit good behavior and are not considered to constitute a further threat of violence is common practice in South Africa, but many who believe Pistorius should have been found guilty of murder were upset that he would be leaving prison so soon. Prosecutors pushing for a murder conviction filed an appeal on Monday.

Lawyers for the double-amputee runner have until September 17 to file their response.

es/kms (AP, Reuters, AFP)