Salman Rushdie Attacker Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

A New York court has delivered a sensational verdict in the attempted murder case of internationally acclaimed writer and Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie. The court, which had earlier convicted Hadi Matar, a resident of New Jersey, has now sentenced him to 25 years in prison.

The incident dates back to 2022, when Salman Rushdie was about to deliver a speech at an event held in Chautauqua, New York. As he began to approach the stage, an assailant rushed toward him and carried out a knife attack. Rushdie sustained serious injuries in the assault and ultimately lost sight in one of his eyes.

Born in Mumbai in 1947, Salman Rushdie later moved to Britain. He rose to prominence after winning the prestigious Booker Prize in 1981 for his novel Midnight's Children. However, several of his works have sparked controversy, most notably the 1988 novel The Satanic Verses, which drew widespread criticism.

Following the publication of The Satanic Verses, Rushdie received numerous threats. The book was banned in Iran in 1988 on the grounds of being offensive to religious sentiments. That same year, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against Rushdie. The attack in New York occurred 33 years after the fatwa was issued.