Counter-terror police investigate claim UK university halted research after Chinese pressure | Sheffield Hallam University

An investigation into allegations that a British university was under pressure from Beijing authorities to halt research into human rights abuses in China has been referred to counter-terrorism police.

The Guardian reported on Monday morning that Sheffield Hallam University, home to the research institute of the Helena Kennedy Center for International Justice (HKC), ordered professor Laura Murphy to halt research into supply chains and forced labor in the country in February.

Murphy’s work focuses on Uighurs, a persecuted Muslim minority in China.

A South Yorkshire police spokesman said the force had referred the investigation because “the allegations fall within the scope of Article 3 of the National Security Act”, the BBC reported.

Article 3 of the law deals with the issue of “assisting foreign intelligence agencies”. An offense is committed if someone “intends to materially assist a foreign intelligence agency in carrying out UK-related activities” or engages in conduct that is likely to assist that agency.

In October, the university apologized and announced that a ban on Murphy’s work and forced labor in China had been lifted.

A spokesman for Sheffield Hallam said the decision to suspend the academic’s work was “based on our understanding of the complex circumstances at the time, including the failure to provide the required professional indemnity insurance”.

“Following a review, we have approved Prof Murphy’s latest research and are committed to supporting him to undertake and disseminate this important work.

“We have apologized to Prof Murphy and wish to make clear our determination to support his research and to secure and promote freedom of expression and academic freedom within the law.”

The instruction to Murphy to cease his work came six months after the university decided to abandon a planned report into the risk of forced labor of Uyghurs in the critical mineral supply chain and return funding related to that research to the original donor, Global Rights Compliance, a not-for-profit legal foundation based in The Hague. GRC eventually published the research in June.

The Chinese government has denied accusations of forced labor and said Uyghur labor programs are aimed at reducing poverty.