Hadi Matar, the 27-year-old man who stabbed Sir Salman Rushdie last year during a public lecture in New York, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, receiving the maximum sentence possible. Matar, convicted of attempted murder and assault, attacked Rushdie onstage in August 2022, resulting in life-altering injuries, including blindness in one eye, damage to his liver, and paralysis in one hand.
The brutal incident occurred precisely 35 years after the publication of Rushdie’s controversial novel, "The Satanic Verses," which had long led to threats against the author due to its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad. Matar also received a seven-year sentence for wounding Henry Reese, the interviewer during Rushdie’s lecture; however, these sentences will run concurrently as dictated by the Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt.
During the sentencing, Matar expressed his thoughts on freedom of speech, labeling Rushdie a hypocrite and asserting that the author disrespects other people. Wearing prison attire, Matar did not take the stand during his trial nor did his legal team call any witnesses.
Sir Salman was not present for the sentencing. In a detailed testimony during the trial, Rushdie recounted his horrifying experience during the attack, where he initially misperceived the stabbing as being punched. Prosecutors emphasized that Matar’s attack was premeditated, though Matar denied any intent to kill during the proceedings.
The fatwa issued against Rushdie by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini following the release of "The Satanic Verses" marked the beginning of years of threats and a forced life in hiding for the novelist. Despite previously stating that he felt safe in recent years, the attack has profoundly affected his life and recovery, which he documented in his memoir "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder."
