Complaint Handling Procedure

The Editorial Board of the journal adheres to the principles of academic integrity, objectivity, impartiality, and transparency in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). All complaints regarding potential violations are handled confidentially, impartially, and with respect for the rights of all parties involved.

Complaints may be submitted in cases of suspected:

- plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or falsification;

- copyright infringement;

- violation of proper authorship principles;

- undisclosed conflicts of interest;

- unethical behavior during the peer review process;

- violations of editorial procedures;

- other breaches of academic integrity and publication ethics.

Complaints may be submitted by authors, reviewers, members of the Editorial Board, readers, or any other individuals.

A complaint must be submitted in written form to the official email address of the editorial office and should include:

- the full name of the complainant (if possible);

- a clear description of the alleged violation;

- links to relevant materials;

- justification and supporting evidence (if available);

- contact information for feedback.

Anonymous complaints will be considered only if sufficient evidence is provided.

Upon receiving a complaint, the editorial office conducts a preliminary assessment to determine whether it falls within the journal’s scope of responsibility and to evaluate the sufficiency of the information provided.

If necessary, additional materials or explanations may be requested.

If the grounds for the complaint are confirmed:

- a committee is established (comprising members of the Editorial Board or independent experts);

- authors, reviewers, or other parties may be involved in the review process;

- all participants are given the opportunity to provide written explanations.

The review process is conducted in accordance with the principles of confidentiality and impartiality.

Based on the results of the review, the editorial office may decide to:

- reject the complaint as unfounded;

- introduce corrections or clarifications;

- withdraw or retract the article;

- refuse publication;

- restrict future submissions from the author;

- inform the author’s affiliated institution in cases of serious violations.

Complaints are considered within up to 30 working days from the date of receipt. In complex cases, this period may be extended with notification to the complainant.

All information related to the complaint is treated as confidential and used solely for the purpose of conducting an objective investigation.

If the complainant disagrees with the decision, they have the right to submit an appeal to the Editorial Board or the relevant ethics committee.