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UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China

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China has launched a campaign of intimidation against British academics

Sheffield Hallam University staff in China were threatened by individuals described as being from China's National Security Service who demanded research into alleged human rights abuses be halted, according to documents obtained by the BBC.</span

Sheffield Hallam University staff in China were threatened by individuals described as being from China's National Security Service who demanded research into alleged human rights abuses be halted, according to documents obtained by the BBC.

The university's websites were blocked in China starting in August 2022, preventing Chinese students from accessing enrollment information and negatively impacting recruitment, while China's foreign ministry criticized the institution.</span

The university's websites were blocked in China starting in August 2022, preventing Chinese students from accessing enrollment information and negatively impacting recruitment, while China's foreign ministry criticized the institution.

Laura Murphy, professor of human rights and contemporary slavery at Sheffield Hallam, was ordered in February 2025 to cease her research on supply chains and forced labor in China after years of publishing reports on Uyghur labor practices.</span

Laura Murphy, professor of human rights and contemporary slavery at Sheffield Hallam, was ordered in February 2025 to cease her research on supply chains and forced labor in China after years of publishing reports on Uyghur labor practices.

The Chinese Embassy in London stated that the Helena Kennedy Centre released multiple fake reports on Xinjiang that are seriously flawed and accused some authors of receiving funding from certain US agencies for their research work.</span

The Chinese Embassy in London stated that the Helena Kennedy Centre released multiple fake reports on Xinjiang that are seriously flawed and accused some authors of receiving funding from certain US agencies for their research work.

Sheffield Hallam University apologized to Professor Murphy and said she could resume her work after initially citing concerns about staff safety and inability to secure professional indemnity insurance as reasons for halting the research.</span

Sheffield Hallam University apologized to Professor Murphy and said she could resume her work after initially citing concerns about staff safety and inability to secure professional indemnity insurance as reasons for halting the research.

The UK government raised the issue with China's education minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned his Chinese counterpart that Britain would not tolerate attempts to suppress academic freedoms at UK universities.</span

The UK government raised the issue with China's education minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned his Chinese counterpart that Britain would not tolerate attempts to suppress academic freedoms at UK universities.

China Threatens UK University Staff Over Uyghur Research

China intimidatedThreatens UK universityUniversity toStaff ditchOver humanUyghur rights research, documents showResearch

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China Threatens UK University Staff Over Uyghur Research

China intimidatedThreatens UK universityUniversity toStaff ditchOver humanUyghur rights research, documents showResearch

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