Renowned author Rushdie’s attacker sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The man responsible for the violent stabbing of acclaimed author Salman Rushdie, 27-year-old Hadi Matar, was on Friday, May 16, 2025, sentenced to 25 years in prison.

This was after he was found guilty of attempted murder and assault.

In 2022, acclaimed author Salman Rushdie was attacked on stage while preparing to speak at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York.

The jury delivered its verdict in February following a brief deliberation of less than two hours.

Rushdie, who was 75 at the time of the attack, sustained severe injuries, including more than a dozen stab wounds to his head and torso.

The assault left him permanently blind in one eye.

Another man on stage, part of the event staff, was also injured in the incident.

Matar’s sentence includes 25 years for attacking Rushdie and an additional seven years for injuring the second victim.

However, both sentences will be served concurrently because the crimes occurred during the same event.

During the sentencing, Matar made a short statement in which he criticized Rushdie and accused him of being a “hypocrite” regarding free speech.

Despite this, the court imposed the maximum penalty.

Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt argued that Matar had carefully planned the attack to inflict the most damage possible.

He was said to not only have done damage on Rushdie but also set out to intimidate the audience of over 1,400 people in attendance.

Rushdie did not appear in court for the sentencing but had previously provided a victim impact statement.

He had also testified earlier in the trial, describing in vivid detail the terrifying moment when he believed he was going to die.

Following the attack, Rushdie spent nearly five weeks in hospitals and rehabilitation centers recovering from his injuries.

His ordeal and recovery are chronicled in his 2024 memoir Knife.

Matar, a U.S. citizen from New Jersey, had no prior criminal history.

His defense attorney, Nathaniel Barone, argued for a lighter sentence of 12 years.

Barone claimed Matar’s lack of a criminal record should be taken into account and noting that the audience members were not direct victims of the attack.

However, the court was not persuaded, and the maximum sentence was upheld.

In addition to his state conviction, Matar is facing federal charges related to terrorism.

Prosecutors allege that the stabbing was intended as an act of terrorism in line with a fatwa issued in 1989 by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

This religious decree called for Rushdie’s death due to his controversial 1988 novel The Satanic Verses.

Many Muslims had considered the novel blasphemous.

While Iran later distanced itself from the fatwa, it was never officially revoked.

Prosecutors also claim that Matar was inspired by extremist rhetoric and believed the fatwa remained in force.

He allegedly told investigators that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had reaffirmed the fatwa in 2006.

Matar has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, which include providing material support to terrorists and committing an act of international terrorism.

The attack was captured on video and shown during the state trial.

The footage depicts Matar approaching Rushdie from behind and stabbing him repeatedly before being restrained by bystanders.

The courtroom saw the chilling footage as part of the prosecution’s evidence of Matar’s intent and premeditation.

The case has reignited international discussions on free speech, religious extremism, and the enduring impact of the fatwa against Rushdie.

The author has long lived under threats due to his writing, and the 2022 assault marked one of the most serious attempts on his life.

While Rushdie continues to recover and speak out on issues of expression and violence, Matar will now serve a lengthy prison sentence.

Also, he still faces potential additional penalties if convicted in federal court.