Sir Salman Rushdie has testified in court that he believed he was dying after being repeatedly stabbed on stage two years ago, an attack that left him blind in one eye.
The esteemed British-Indian author provided evidence at the trial of his alleged assailant, 27-year-old Hadi Matar, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and attempted murder.
The trial is taking place in a New York state court, just a few miles from the scene of the attack, which occurred on 12 August 2022 at the Chautauqua Institution. Sir Salman had been about to deliver a talk on how the United States serves as a haven for exiled writers.
The incident was the culmination of years of threats against the author’s life following the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses in 1988, which led to a fatwa being issued against him by Iran’s religious leader at the time.
The attack unfolds
Prosecutors, who have not detailed a specific motive for the attack, called Sir Salman as the first witness on Tuesday. He recounted the moments leading up to and following the violent assault.
The 77-year-old author described sitting on stage, prepared to address the audience, when he saw a man rushing towards him from his right-hand side. The attacker was dressed in dark clothing and wearing a face mask. Sir Salman said he was struck by the intensity of the man’s eyes, describing them as “dark and very ferocious”.
He initially thought he had been punched when he felt the first blow to his right jaw and neck. However, as blood began pouring onto his clothes, he quickly realised the true nature of the attack.
“At that point, he was hitting me repeatedly, stabbing and slashing,” he told the jury, adding that the attack happened in mere seconds.
15 stab wounds and life-altering injuries
Sir Salman recounted being struck a total of 15 times, with wounds to his eye, cheek, neck, chest, torso, and thigh. His left hand was also injured as he tried to defend himself. He said the knife wound to his eye was the most agonising.
Removing his glasses to expose his damaged right eye, he told the court, “As you can see, that is what is left of it. There’s no vision in the eye at all.”
As Sir Salman testified, his wife, Lady Rushdie, wept from her seat in the second row. Meanwhile, the defendant, Mr Matar, kept his head down and did not make eye contact with the author throughout the proceedings.
A life under threat
Sir Salman has lived under the spectre of danger since The Satanic Verses was published. While the novel received critical acclaim in the West, many Muslims considered it blasphemous, leading to bans in several countries. Iran’s then-Supreme Leader issued a fatwa calling for the author’s death, forcing him into hiding for nearly a decade. He only resumed travelling freely when Iran later stated it would no longer enforce the decree.
Two weeks before the attack, Sir Salman had told a German magazine that he was enjoying a “relatively normal” life as the threats against him had significantly diminished. However, the brutal stabbing in Chautauqua shattered that sense of security.
The moment he thought he would die
The author told the court that, in the immediate aftermath of the attack, “it occurred to me quite clearly that I was dying – that was my predominant thought.”
He described lying in “a lake of blood” and recalled how audience members and bystanders subdued the attacker. “And thanks to that, I survived,” he said.
Sir Salman was airlifted to a trauma centre, where he underwent treatment for 17 days. Meanwhile, Mr Matar was arrested at the scene.
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Cross-examination
Defence lawyer Lynn Schaffer cross-examined Sir Salman, questioning whether his traumatic experience might have affected his memory of the incident. The author acknowledged that trauma can impact recollection but insisted he was certain about the number of wounds he had sustained.
“Afterwards, I could see [the wounds] on my body,” he stated. “I didn’t need to be told by anybody.”
When asked whether he had ever interacted with the accused before the attack, Sir Salman firmly denied any prior contact. He also confirmed that the attacker did not say anything to him during the assault.
Trial continues
In the coming days, additional witnesses are expected to testify, including the surgeon who operated on Sir Salman and the law enforcement officers who responded to the attack.
The case has reignited discussions on freedom of expression and the dangers faced by writers who challenge controversial subjects. As the trial unfolds, many continue to follow the proceedings closely, hoping for justice for Sir Salman Rushdie.
