Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Stabbing Salman Rushdie

The 27-year-old attacker, Hadi Matar, was convicted of attempted murder and assault after stabbing Rushdie multiple times, resulting in significant injuries. Matar's actions were linked to longstanding controversies surrounding Rushdie’s novel "The Satanic Verses."

A New Jersey man, Hadi Matar, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following the attempted murder of famed author Sir Salman Rushdie during a public lecture in New York last year. Matar, 27, was convicted earlier this year for stabbing Rushdie multiple times in an attack that had lasting consequences, including partial blindness in one eye and significant injuries to his liver and hand.

The attack occurred in August 2022, just before Rushdie was scheduled to speak at the Chautauqua Institution. In a moment that raised alarm across the literary world, Matar rushed onto the stage and attacked Rushdie, resulting in serious injuries that prompted urgent medical attention. During the trial, Rushdie described the terrifying seconds when he saw Matar approaching, recalling how he initially believed he had been punched before realizing the dire nature of the assault.

Matar received the maximum sentence for "attempted murder," along with a seven-year sentence for assaulting Rushdie's interviewer, Henry Reese. The sentences are to be served concurrently, as both victims were harmed during the same incident, according to Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt. Before his sentencing, Matar made a statement criticizing Rushdie's work and expressed controversial views regarding freedom of speech.

In February 2025, during the trial proceedings, Rushdie recounted the painful experience of being attacked, emphasizing his fight for survival. Matar's defense argued against the intent to kill, but prosecutors successfully demonstrated that the attack was premeditated and specifically targeted Rushdie, who had been a focal point of outrage for his novel "The Satanic Verses" published 35 years earlier. The book has been regarded as blasphemous by some, leading to decades of threats against Rushdie's life, including a fatwa issued by Iran's leader calling for his execution.

Although Matar faced overwhelming evidence in court, he maintained his not-guilty plea without taking the stand or providing witnesses in his defense. His actions and motives remain part of a broader narrative encompassing freedom of expression, religious extremism, and the consequences of literary critique in today's society. Rushdie, meanwhile, has discussed his recovery journey in his memoir, "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder," as he continues to navigate life post-attack.