9. Salman Rushdie
Salman Rushdie has faced constant peril since the 1989 publication of The Satanic Verses, which led to a fatwa calling for his death. Decades of vigilance could not prevent the 2022 attack in New York, where Rushdie was stabbed onstage but survived after intensive medical care. His ordeal highlights the ongoing dangers faced by authors under fatwas, echoing the threats to freedom of expression worldwide. Rushdie’s resilience continues to inspire writers and readers who champion the right to speak freely, no matter the risk.
