China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show

China is revealed to have pressured a UK university to halt human rights research through intimidation, blocking website access and threatening staff. The university, Sheffield Hallam, faced backlash over research into alleged abuses against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Despite pressure from China, the university has since apologized to Professor Laura Murphy and vowed to support her work, emphasizing its commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech. The incident highlights concerns over foreign influence and censorship at UK universities.