Damascus Ophthalmologist Denies Complicity In 400,000 Deaths

If confirmed, the allegations would make Dr. Assad a possible second as a murderous practitioner of medicine only to notorious Nazi physician Joseph Mengele.

Damascus, December 7 – An eye doctor accused of involvement the demise of hundreds of thousands of people over the last six years has categorically denied any such accusation, local media are reporting.

Basher Assad, 51, a London-trained ophthalmologist, told reporters this morning that charges of his engineering or supporting the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians and others are a fabrication, and that if those deaths did occur, they were the fault of terrorists, criminals, and foreign elements that seek to besmirch his professional reputation and exploit the ensuing opportunities for their own gain.

Estimates vary of the total number of deaths allegedly caused by Assad, but experts allege that the vast majority of the 300,000-470,000 premature deaths in Syria since 2011 took place with the tacit or explicit encouragement of the ophthalmologist. The total includes thousands of Lebanese, Palestinians, and other non-Syrian victims, who met their deaths via shooting, bombing, incineration, starvation, disease, exposure, torture, or other violent means.

If confirmed, the allegations would make Dr. Assad a possible second as a murderous practitioner of medicine only to notorious Nazi physician Joseph Mengele, responsible for the infamous “selections” of gas chamber victims at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. Few other medical specialists of any sort have had their hand in so many deaths, according to historian Hannibal Lecter.

“There have been plenty of doctors associated with barbarous regimes and policies, but nothing this direct or at this scale,” he explained. “It’s quite amazing that no one has done anything to address these alleged crimes until now, despite years and years of accusations flying around, and mountains of apparent evidence against him.”

Assad spent the first part of his medical career in London, but was recalled to Damascus by then-President of Syria Hafez Assad in 1994 to apply his skills and training there. Between 1994 and 2000 Dr. Assad liaised with other professionals in Lebanon, and assumed a senior position in 2000. According to the reports, the mass murders began only several years ago, amid the chaos and confusion of the Syrian Civil War.

The ophthalmologist has maintained his innocence since the earliest accusations emerged. “I have had no hand in the deaths of innocents,” he proclaimed though a spokesman outside his office in the Syrian capital. “Those who would accuse me of barbarity are irresponsibly trying to deflect responsibility from the real criminal perpetrators, the terrorists. These allegations harm the people for whom I provide care on a constant basis, as they distract me from doing so.”

Dr. Assad pointed to repeated customer satisfaction surveys in 2001 and 2007 that showed his near-perfect approval rating.

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