Man who stabbed Rushdie at lecture jailed for 25 years

The man convicted of trying to kill Salman Rushdie has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for launching a frenzied knife attack on the celebrated author.

- RHIAN LUBIN ANDREA CAVALLIER

A New York jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Hadi Matar, 27, of second-degree attempted murder in February. The British-American author was blinded in one eye in the harrowing attack in August 2022. The attacker was also found guilty of assault for injuring Henry Reese, who was onstage with Mr Rushdie and was about to interview the author.

Mr Rushdie, 77, did not return to the Chautauqua County courtroom in western New York for his assailant’s sentencing yesterday, but submitted a victim impact statement. Matar received the maximum 25-year sentence for the attempted murder of Mr Rushdie and seven years for wounding Mr Reese, who sustained a gash above his left eye that required stitches.

The sentences must run concurrently because both victims were injured in the same event, District Attorney Jason Schmidt said.

Before being sentenced, Matar stood and made a statement about freedom of speech in which he called Mr Rushdie a hypocrite. In requesting the maximum sentence, Mr Schmidt told the judge that Matar “chose this”.