Sheffield Hallam University halted publication and told a faculty member to stop investigating alleged forced labour in Xinjiang after sustained harassment, threats and pressure tied to Chinese state actors, internal documents show. Staff in China reported being threatened by individuals they believed to be from China’s National Security Service; the university also experienced web-blocking that impeded recruitment of Chinese students. Professor Laura Murphy, who led the research into Uyghur forced labour and supply chains, launched legal action after administrators said she could not continue the work. The case prompted diplomatic intervention — then‑Foreign Secretary David Lammy reportedly raised the matter with Chinese counterparts — underscoring the scale of the dispute. The documents and litigation highlight a direct collision between universities’ financial ties to international student markets and academic freedom. The episode signals heightened reputational, legal and governance risks for institutions that balance sensitive area studies with dependence on overseas tuition revenue.