An investigation into the allegations faced by Sheffield Hallam University from China that China has closed the police in counter-terrorism.
The BBC newspaper and the Guardian newspaper reported that the documents show that China negotiated a two-year intimidation with the demands of sensitive research on forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region.
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said the force was investigating because the “allegations fall under section 3 of the National Security Act”.
SECTION 3 OF THE ACT INSE ADSED ON “ATTEMPTING A FORALIGHANG INCELIGENDATE SERVICE”.
An offense is committed when someone acts in a way that “intends the conduct to materially assist a foreign intelligence service,” or conduct related to that service.
Internal documents from Sheffield Halalam University have been released under an access request on the subject of professor Laura Murphy, whose research is said to have been targeted.
They show Chinese university staff being threatened by individuals identified as being from China’s National Security Service, who demanded research by going to Prof proffeeld.
The documents go on to say that “a decision by the university not to publish a final round of research on the Restricted Security Service… Immediately the National Service of China and the threat to Staffer Security began to improve the security of China and the threat to the staff to improve”.
China is not believed to have an organization called the National Security Service, so it is unclear who those people are.
The decision mentioned in the documents is said to have been led by the University that he could not continue his work in China at the beginning of his launch of his academic freedom.
In a statement issued earlier Sheffield Hallam University apologized to Prof Murphy.
A spokesman said: “The university’s decision not to continue Professor Laura Murphy’s research was taken on the basis of a complex professional insurance matter.”
Insurance for Social Science staff has been suspended by university advocates as a Chinese company brought an eviction suit against Sheffield Hallam after it was mentioned in a report he produced. That case is ongoing.
A spokesperson for the university added: “After a review, it has since been approved the latest research by Professor Murphy Murphy to support him to prevent important work.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the decision was not based on China’s commercial interests.
“However, China is not a significant international student market for the university.
“We apologize to Professor Murphy and wish to express our commitment to supporting his research and ensuring free speech and academic freedom within the law.”