US court sentences Salman Rushdie’s attacker Hadi Matar to 25 years in prison

By  Firstdespatch Desk   May 17, 2025

An American-Lebanese man, Hadi Matar has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the 2022 knife attack on author Salman Rushdie at a cultural event in New York.

Convicted of attempted murder and assault, 27-year old Matar received the maximum sentence for the attack, which left Mr Rushdie blind in one eye. He was also given a separate seven-year sentence for assaulting the event moderator. Matar still faces separate federal terrorism charges that could result in a life sentence. Although Mr Rushdie did not attend the sentencing, he submitted a victim impact statement.