The allegation of intimidation by the Chinese academic has been referred to counter-terrorism police

An investigation into claims that Sheffield Hallam University faced sustained pressure from China to end human rights research has been referred to counter-terrorism police.

The BBC and the Guardian newspaper report that the documents show China waged a two-year campaign of intimidation and harassment, including demands that the university stop sensitive research by one of its professors into allegations of forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said police had transferred the investigation as “the allegations fall under section 3 of the National Security Act”.

Article 3 of the law refers to “assistance of a foreign intelligence service”.

An offense is committed if someone conducts himself in a way that “intends that conduct to materially assist a foreign intelligence service in carrying out activities relating to the United Kingdom”, or conduct that is likely to assist that service.

Internal documents from Sheffield Hallam University have been released following an access request to Professor Laura Murphy, whose research is said to have been targeted.

They showed that university staff in China were threatened by individuals identified as Chinese National Security Service officials who demanded that Prof Murphy’s research, which is being conducted in Sheffield, be shut down.

The documents go on to state that “the university’s decision not to publish the latest phase of the forced labor research in China was communicated to the National Security Service…Relations immediately improved and the threat to staff welfare appears to have been removed.”

China is believed to have no organization called the National Security Service, so it is unclear who the individuals are.

A few months later, early this year, Prof Murphy was told by the university that he could not continue his work on China. She is suing for violation of her academic freedom. The university then reversed its position.

In a statement released earlier, Sheffield Hallam University apologized to Prof Murphy.

A spokesman said: “The university’s decision not to proceed with Professor Laura Murphy’s research was based on our understanding of a complex set of circumstances at the time, including the inability to secure the necessary professional indemnity insurance.”

Insurance for social studies staff has been suspended by the university’s insurers after a Chinese firm sued Sheffield Hallam for defamation after it was named in a report it produced. This case is ongoing.

The university spokesman added: “After review, we have approved Professor Murphy’s latest research and are committed to supporting her to undertake and disseminate this important work.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the decision is not based on commercial interests in China.

“However, China is not a significant international student market for the university.

“We have apologized to Professor Murphy and want to make clear our commitment to supporting her research and to ensuring and promoting free speech and academic freedom within the law.”