On May 16, 2025, Hadi Matar was sentenced in Mayville, New York, for the attempted murder of renowned author Salman Rushdie during a 2022 literary event. Matar, who had previously been convicted of second-degree attempted murder and assault, received a prison sentence of 25 years for the attack on Rushdie and an additional seven years for injuring event moderator Henry Reese, reported the Madhyamam.
The assault occurred on August 12, 2022, at the Chautauqua Institution, where Rushdie was scheduled to speak. Matar rushed the stage and stabbed Rushdie multiple times, resulting in the author losing sight in one eye and sustaining severe injuries. Rushdie later recounted the harrowing experience in his memoir, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.
Matar, a U.S. citizen of Lebanese descent, expressed admiration for Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, who had issued a fatwa against Rushdie in 1989 over his novel The Satanic Verses. Authorities believe this was a motivating factor in the attack. Matar is also facing federal terrorism-related charges, including allegations of attempting to support Hezbollah.
The sentencing marks a significant moment in the ongoing discourse surrounding freedom of expression and the threats faced by writers worldwide.
