The man who savagely attacked renowned author Salman Rushdie on a public platform in 2022 will be sentenced today in a court in New York, representing a turning point in the current global debate regarding freedom of expression and religious extremism. Hadi Matar, 27, was convicted of attempted murder and assault in February by a jury that deliberated for less than two hours.
Attack on Salman Rushdie, That Shook the Literary World
On August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was set to address the Chautauqua Institution when Hadi Matar, wearing a mask and armed with a knife, stormed the stage and stabbed the writer repeatedly in the head and body. The assault rendered Rushdie blind in one eye and seriously hurt him. Describing the horrific moment, Rushdie took the stand, testifying that he thought he was going to die as the attacker thrust the knife into his body.
The writer, author of books such as Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses, was hospitalized for 17 days in Pennsylvania and over three weeks in New York for rehabilitation. He subsequently detailed his extended recovery in his 2024 memoir, Knife.
Prosecution Seeks Maximum Sentence
Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said that he will seek the top sentence—25 years in prison for the attempted assassination of Rushdie and seven years for injuring a second man who was on stage. But because both victims were injured in the same attack, the sentences will be served concurrently.
Rushdie will not be in court for sentencing. His participation in the trial, however, was essential. His evidence was firsthand testimony of what terror he went through, and brought worldwide focus back to the risks writers endure for their writing.
The Fatwa That Never Died
Matar, an American citizen, is to stand trial separately in federal court on charges related to terrorism. Matar is believed to have acted under a fatwa declared in 1989 by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, which called for the death of Rushdie after the publication of The Satanic Verses. Federal authorities say Matar thought the edict remained in effect and was endorsed by Hezbollah, pointing to a 2006 address by the group’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah.
Even though Iran publicly declared in subsequent years that it would not enforce the fatwa, Rushdie continued to be at risk for decades. After hiding for decades, he started moving around more freely—until the danger was brought back by Matar’s attack.
Salman Rushdie Attack: A Dangerous Reminder
The security footage from the venue, which was seen at the trial, showed the entire horror: Matar came up behind Rushdie, stabbed him as the crowd shrieked, and kept going until civilians yanked him off. The brutal act highlighted the sobering fact that words can still trigger lethal responses.
As Matar is held for federal trial, attention will turn toward the motives behind his actions and potential connections to global terrorism. The world will pay attention as well to how this case impacts the current debate about freedom of expression, religious tolerance, and the extension of extremist ideologies.
This moment is a painful reminder: the struggle between free thought and fanaticism is far from resolved, and it continues to have victims, even years after the initial flame.
