In Apr 2024, Sheffield Hallam’s Beijing office was visited by three 
state security officers. An employee was questioned for 2 hours regarding the HKC. According to an internal summary of the meeting, “the tone was threatening and [the] message to cease the research activity was made clear”.
The April interrogation set off a chain of events that would lead to the university ultimately complying with the Chinese authorities’ request. “There was this general sense that they were … intimidated into not publishing.”
Emails show staff grappling with how to manage the relationship with China. In Sep 2024, the university informed state security that it would not be publishing a final phase of research on forced labour in China. “Immediately, relations improved.”
state security officers. An employee was questioned for 2 hours regarding the HKC. According to an internal summary of the meeting, “the tone was threatening and [the] message to cease the research activity was made clear”.
The April interrogation set off a chain of events that would lead to the university ultimately complying with the Chinese authorities’ request. “There was this general sense that they were … intimidated into not publishing.”
Emails show staff grappling with how to manage the relationship with China. In Sep 2024, the university informed state security that it would not be publishing a final phase of research on forced labour in China. “Immediately, relations improved.”Quote
Byron Wan
@Byron_Wan
In Feb, 
Sheffield Hallam University — home to the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice (HKC) — complied with a demand from Beijing to halt research about human rights abuses in China and ordered one of its best-known professors, Laura Murphy, to cease research on
Show more Sheffield Hallam University — home to the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice (HKC) — complied with a demand from Beijing to halt research about human rights abuses in China and ordered one of its best-known professors, Laura Murphy, to cease research on