China academic intimidation claim referred to counter-terrorism police
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An inquiry into the possible undue influence of China on Sheffield Hallam University with regard to human rights research has been turned over to the counter-terrorism police.
According to the BBC and The Guardian, documents indicate that China had conducted a two-year-long campaign of covert operations, including demands that the university curtail the research of one of its professors who was investigating slave labor in the Xinjiang region of China.
The spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police stated that the investigation has been passed on to them as the “allegations come under Section 3 of the National Security Act”.
Part of the act that covers the “assistance to foreign intelligence services” is Section 3.
An offence occurs if a person acts in such a way as to “very likely to help a foreign intelligence service in the course of UK-related activities,” or in a manner that could possibly assist that service.
The internal records of Sheffield Hallam University had been accessed by Professor Laura Murphy through a Subject Access Request. Her research is claimed to have been the target.
These records revealed that staff of the university in China had been intimidated by people said to be from China’s National Security Service, who insisted that the research by Prof Murphy in Sheffield be ceased.
The papers further claimed that “the university’s decision not to release a concluding part of research on forced labour in China was communicated to the National Security Service… Instantly relation became better and the threat to the staff’s well-being seems to be no more.”
It is unclear who the people were, as China is not considered to have an institution called National Security Service.
A few months later, at the beginning of this year, the university informed Prof Murphy she could not carry on with her project on China. She initiated legal proceedings claiming infringement of her academic freedom. The university then changed its mind.
Sheffield Hallam University had earlier issued a public apology to Prof Murphy.
A representative said: “The University’s choice to discontinue Professor Laura Murphy’s research was made based on our comprehension of a complicated set of circumstances at that moment, including our inability to obtain the requisite professional indemnity insurance.”
The university’s insurers had cancelled the social sciences staff insurance due to a Chinese company filing a defamation claim against Sheffield Hallam, since it was cited in a report produced by her. That case is still pending.
The university’s spokesperson went on to say: “After a review, we have now sanctioned Professor Murphy’s current research and we are ready to provide all necessary support for her to conduct and share this vital work.”
“In order not to create any misunderstanding, the decision was not made based on China-related commercial interests.”
“Be that as it may, the University does not see China as a major international student market.”
“Moreover, we sincerely apologize to Professor Murphy and want to underline our commitment to her research support and to the legal framework of freedom of speech and academic liberty.”
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