Salman Rushdie Attacker Hadi Matar Sentenced to 25 Years, Calls Author a “Bully” in Court
The attack, which occurred during a public lecture in western New York, left Rushdie permanently blind in one eye and sparked international outrage.
New York: Hadi Matar, the man convicted of carrying out a brutal knife attack on acclaimed author Salman Rushdie in 2022, was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison. The attack, which occurred during a public lecture in western New York, left Rushdie permanently blind in one eye and sparked international outrage.
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Attack During Public Lecture Shocks Literary World
The stabbing took place at the Chautauqua Institution, where Rushdie was scheduled to speak about the importance of writer safety. As he was being introduced, Matar rushed the stage and repeatedly stabbed the author in the head and torso, causing severe injuries. Rushdie, then 77, was hospitalized and underwent multiple surgeries.
Matar Found Guilty of Attempted Murder and Assault
In February, a jury found 27-year-old Matar guilty of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault. The verdict came after a trial in which Rushdie himself gave emotional testimony, describing how he feared he would die during the attack.
Although Rushdie did not attend the sentencing hearing, he submitted a victim impact statement that was read in court.
Matar Defends His Actions, Calls Rushdie a “Bully”
Speaking in court before sentencing, Matar criticized Rushdie’s views on freedom of expression. Dressed in white-striped jail attire and wearing handcuffs, Matar said, “Salman Rushdie wants to disrespect other people. He wants to be a bully. I don’t agree with that.”
His comments echoed long-standing controversies surrounding Rushdie’s works, particularly The Satanic Verses, which has faced condemnation from some groups since its publication in 1988.
A Violent Chapter in Rushdie’s Life
The attack on Rushdie marked one of the gravest physical threats he has faced since the issuance of a fatwa by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989. Though Rushdie had spent years in hiding, recent years had seen him return to public life—making the 2022 assault all the more shocking.
The 25-year sentence brings a measure of closure to an incident that rattled the global literary and free speech communities.
