Dr. Rami Shaheen: The scientist who was assassinated by terrorism but whose voice was not silenced
In a world of chaos and violence, science remains a beacon against ignorance and extremism. But when that beacon becomes a target of terrorism, the price is high. Dr. Rami Shaheen, a man of science and peace, left his homeland Syria in search of security and a place where he could serve humanity as a whole, but he did not escape the killing machine that pursues bright minds, and he became a new victim of the blind terrorism that kills scientists and intellectuals.
The scientist who carried the banner of knowledge
Dr. Rami Shahin was born in Syria and has dedicated his life to science and education. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Tishreen University, and completed his postgraduate studies at Ain Shams University in Egypt,where he obtained a master’s degree and then a doctorate in Graph Domination Theory.
He was not just a traditional academic, but a creative researcherwho held several positions at universities inside and outside Syria, most notably:
- University of Cambridge, UK – Visiting Professor.
- Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia – Professor in the Department of Mathematics.
- Ashur University in Iraq – Some reported that he was a professor in the Department of Cybersecurity , but according to the university’s website, he was a professor in the Department of Medical Device Technology Engineering.
He published dozens of scientific papers in applied mathematics and made significant contributions to statement theory, was a prominent member of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), and received prestigious international awards.
His autobiography, which is still available on the Assyrian University website shortly after his martyrdom, shows his prestigious scientific publications and the positions he held.
The Last Homecoming
After the fall of the regime, Dr. Rami Shahin decided to spend a short eight-day study holiday in Syria to visit his family in Latakia. Little did he know that this visit would be his last, and that death awaited him there, among his family.
A crime against humanity. In the name of religion
On a dark day, armed gangs claiming to be “security”entered, but they were nothing but the remnants of terrorism. They killed everyone they found in front of them, making no distinction between children and elders, between scientists and farmers. Their only crime was that they had a different identity and sect.
Dr. Shaheen tried to appeal to them, begging them not to kill him in front of his children, but the killers knew no mercy. They shot him in cold blood, disregarding his cries, without any humanity in them. They killed him along with other members of his family and others from his village, in a horrific crime known as the Brabashbo village massacre that took place during the recent massacres on the Syrian coast.
One of his students said in his eulogy:
“Syria and the world have lost a source of inspiration and a source of science for all those who learnt from him. His memory will remain in our hearts and his scientific impact will be felt for generations to come.”
Scientists in the crosshairs of terrorism
The assassination of Dr. Shaheen is not an isolated incident, but part of a systematic policy aimed at liquidating scientific minds in the Arab world. Terrorism fears nothing so much as scientists and intellectuals, because they confront ignorance with knowledge and superstition with reason.
Dr Zahruddin Issa, his colleague and friend, wrote:
“Doctor Rami, you remind me of the scientist Lavoisier, who was killed by the French Revolution, and when the rabble of the revolution was asked about his execution, they said: ‘The Republic has no need for scientists. More than 55 articles and research papers published in the world’s largest journals, he supervised dozens of doctoral theses, he was one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence in the Arab world… And now he’s gone.”
Terrorism Can’t Kill Scientific Legacy
Although he was killed, terrorism could not extinguish the light of Dr. Rami Shahin. His scientific legacy lives on in his research, his students, and every idea he planted in the minds of the researchers he taught.
This crime is not only an attack on an individual, it is a crime against humanity and science, a crime that seeks to annihilate minds and kill hope for the future. But no matter how deep the darkness, the lights of knowledge will remain stronger.
Shame on the killers … and glory to the martyrs of science and knowledge.
