Procedure for reviewing complaints regarding violations of ethical standards

The journal adheres to the principles of publication ethics, academic integrity, and responsible editorial practice. All complaints concerning possible violations of ethical standards are handled impartially, confidentially, and in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Submission of a Complaint

A complaint may be submitted by an author, reviewer, reader, or any other interested party in cases where there are indications of possible violations of publication ethics, including:

  • plagiarism or self-plagiarism;
  • fabrication or falsification of data;
  • improper authorship;
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest;
  • citation manipulation;
  • violations of the peer-review procedure;
  • other actions that contradict the principles of publication ethics.

The complaint should be submitted to the Editorial Board of the journal by e-mail. It must include a clear description of the alleged violation, a link to the relevant publication or material, and, where available, documents or other evidence supporting the stated concerns.

2. Registration and Initial Review

Upon receipt of a complaint, the Editorial Board registers it and assigns a unique registration number. The initial review is carried out within 5 working days from the date of receipt.

At this stage, the Editorial Board checks the completeness of the submitted information, the existence of sufficient grounds for consideration, and whether the complaint falls within the scope of publication ethics. If the information provided is insufficient, the complainant may be asked to provide clarification or additional materials.

3. Preliminary Assessment of the Complaint

The Editorial Board conducts a preliminary assessment of the validity of the complaint. If the complaint does not contain sufficient grounds or does not relate to matters of publication ethics, it may be dismissed with an explanation provided to the complainant.

If indications of a possible ethical violation are identified, the complaint is referred for detailed consideration.

4. Investigation

The investigation is conducted by the Editorial Board of the journal. Where necessary, independent experts, members of the Editorial Council, or specialists in the relevant field of knowledge may be involved.

The parties concerned, including authors, reviewers, or other persons involved in the complaint, are given the opportunity to provide written explanations and additional materials.

The complaint is considered in accordance with the principles of objectivity, impartiality, confidentiality, and equal treatment of all parties.

5. Decision-Making

As a result of the complaint review, the Editorial Board may take one or more of the following decisions:

  • dismiss the complaint as unfounded;
  • request explanations or corrections from the authors;
  • publish a correction, clarification, or expression of concern;
  • initiate the retraction procedure;
  • inform the institution with which the author is affiliated;
  • restrict further submissions to the journal in cases of serious or repeated violations of ethical standards.

6. Timeframe for Consideration

The general timeframe for reviewing a complaint is usually up to 30 calendar days from the date of its registration. In complex cases requiring additional verification, expert involvement, or explanations from the parties, the review period may be extended.

The complainant will be additionally informed of any extension of the complaint review period.

7. Confidentiality

All information obtained during the complaint review process is treated as confidential. The Editorial Board does not disclose the personal data of the complainant, authors, reviewers, or other participants without their consent, except where required by law or necessary for the proper consideration of an ethical violation.

8. Appeal

Persons affected by the decision made as a result of the complaint review have the right to submit an appeal within 10 working days from the date of receiving the relevant decision.

The appeal is reconsidered by the Editorial Board. Where necessary, independent experts may be involved in the appeal review.

9. Transparency of the Procedure

The journal ensures transparency in its complaint-handling procedures and acts in accordance with the principles of academic integrity, editorial independence, and international recommendations in the field of publication ethics.