Oxford University Press (OUP) will cease publishing Forensic Sciences Research (FSR) after the 2025 volume, ending a relationship with the journal sponsored by China's Ministry of Justice. The announcement, published on the journal's website, follows years of ethical concerns over studies involving DNA samples from Uyghurs and other minority groups in China.
FSR is produced by China's Academy of Forensic Science, an agency under the Ministry of Justice. OUP began publishing the quarterly journal in 2023 under a deal that gave the press rights to solicit advertisers and collect revenues. OUP declined to elaborate on the decision to terminate the agreement.
Several FSR papers have drawn criticism for analysing genetic data from Uyghurs, who face intense surveillance in Xinjiang. One 2020 study examined blood samples from 264 Uyghurs in Ürümqi; the lead author was affiliated with the Xinjiang Police College. In 2024, OUP issued an “expression of concern” about the paper, questioning whether participants could freely refuse. Two other papers have been retracted since 2023 due to ethical issues.
Yves Moreau, a professor at the University of Leuven, who first raised concerns about the journal, welcomed OUP's move but said the brief statement “fails to address the important issues at stake”. The case highlights broader scrutiny of genetic research from China, where researchers often come from state security bodies and subjects may lack freedom to decline participation.
