Aim and Scope

The contemporary legal landscape of the Russian Federation is characterized by a continuous legislative transformation, demanding effective exchange of domestic and international experience in lawmaking and law enforcement.

The journal Siberian Law Review, based in Omsk — a historical administrative center linking northern and western Siberia with the southern steppe regions and the east—places particular emphasis on fostering scholarly connections across Russia and internationally. Strengthening these academic networks and increasing engagement with international legal scholars contributes to the journal's presence in the global research community.

The journal's mission is to bring together the latest developments in legal scholarship and practice, serving as a platform for Russian and international researchers and practitioners to present their findings and share innovative approaches.

The journal addresses complex and contested legal issues that attract strong interest from the academic community, contributing to the development of Russian legal scholarship and the advancement of the rule of law across the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Russian Federation.

The journal's thematic scope corresponds to the academic specializations included in Group 5.1 “Law” of the nomenclature of scientific specialties under which academic degrees are awarded, as approved by Order No. 118 of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, dated 24 February 2021.

In line with this mission, the journal pursues the following goals:

— fostering a unified scholarly community in law for both established and early-career researchers, as well as legal practitioners, at national and international levels;

— promoting Russian legal traditions and legal doctrine internationally;

— supporting international cooperation among scholars and public officials to harmonize national legislation with international standards for the protection of individual rights and legitimate interests, including through the integration of international legal doctrine into Russian academic discourse;

— facilitating the exchange of research findings across theoretical and historical legal studies, public law, private law, and criminal law;

— addressing theoretical and practical issues in jurisprudence based on both national and international research;

— publishing research employing both traditional doctrinal (positivist) approaches and empirical methods from the social sciences and humanities, including comparative legal and interdisciplinary studies at the intersection with sociology, history, psychology, linguistics, political science, and related fields;

— maintaining a bilingual publication policy (Russian and English) to expand the journal’s community of authors and readers in Russia and abroad.

To advance its mission, the journal pursues the following objectives:

• disseminating the results of fundamental and applied legal research that deepen understanding of the most pressing issues in Russian and international jurisprudence;
• strengthening the journal’s international presence and expanding its community of authors and readers by facilitating effective scholarly communication;
• synthesizing and analyzing domestic and international experience in lawmaking and law enforcement;
• highlighting significant, innovative, and impactful contributions by Russian and international legal scholars;
• supporting the development of professional legal culture and the human-resource capacity of law enforcement and public administration;
• ensuring continuity in legal scholarship through the exchange of knowledge between established and early-career researchers.

Section Policies

THEORETICAL AND HISTORICAL LEGAL SCIENCES -

This section publishes research that examines foundational, conceptual, and historical dimensions of law across several major areas.

Theory of State and Law

The section welcomes studies addressing:

• methodologies and the history of legal scholarship;
• formation and development of the theory of state and law;
• impact of specific legislative acts on the evolution of legal theory;
• development and limitation of human rights and freedoms, and the nature of legal obligations;
• mechanisms and functions of the state and law;
• social role, value, and functions of law in contemporary society, including its principles, sources, and forms;
• processes of legal development and lawmaking, including questions of legal technique;
• implementation of law, legal behavior, legality and public order, offenses, and legal liability;
• contemporary problems in the theory of state and law, including the relationship between state and law and their role in scientific and technological development.

History of State and Law in Russia

This subsection includes research on:

• methodology, historiography, and source studies;
• periodization of the history of Russian state and law;
• developments from Ancient Rus’ to the present.

History of State and Law in Foreign Countries

This subsection covers studies on:

• pre-state and early-state stages of legal development;
• methodology, historiography, source studies, and periodization of the history of state and law in:
  • the Ancient Near East;
  • Ancient Egypt;
  • Mesopotamia;
  • Asia and Africa;
  • Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome;
  • medieval Europe and Asia Minor;
  • the early modern and modern periods.

History of Legal Doctrines

This subsection includes research on:

• subject matter, methodology, historiography, and source studies of the history of legal doctrines;
• legal thought in the Ancient World and the Middle Ages;
• Western and Eastern European legal doctrines during the crisis of feudalism;
• legal thought in Renaissance Europe and the formation of absolutist states;
• state-legal ideas of the Reformation;
• evolution of doctrines of state and law from the early modern period to the present.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

PUBLIC (STATE) LAW -

This section publishes research on the structure, functions, and evolution of public authority, public law, and public administration in the Russian Federation and in comparative perspective.

Public Authority and Public Law

The section welcomes studies addressing:

• system, subject matter, methodology, and historical development of public law sciences;
• legal nature of public authority and the legal framework governing its exercise;
• structure and organization of public authority and public administration;
• institutions of public authority and their interaction with civil society;
• concept, subject, methods, principles, functions, and structure of public law;
• relationship between public law and private law.

Constitutional Law and Constitutionalism

Research topics include:

• theory and practice of constitutions and constitutionalism;
• history of constitutional development;
• fundamental rights, freedoms, and duties, including guarantees, limits, permissible restrictions, and mechanisms of protection;
• legal nature of direct and representative democracy;
• legal mechanisms for implementing various political regimes;
• role of the head of state, parliament, government, and courts within the separation of powers framework;
• state structure and territorial organization;
• constitutional disputes and constitutional adjudication.

Judicial System and Public Service

The section also includes studies on:

• judicial system and the administration of justice;
• legal status of judges;
• role of the prosecutor’s office within the public authority;
• state and municipal service;
• legal regulation of law enforcement and human rights protection;
• public law mechanisms for ensuring the security of the individual, society, and the state.

Public Administration and Administrative Law

Research may focus on:

• legal regulation of public administration across various sectors;
• forms of legal coercion in public law, including constitutional, administrative, and financial law coercion;
• public oversight and regulatory supervision in both public law and private law spheres;
• general, special, and exceptional legal regimes in public law;
• administrative procedures and administrative proceedings;
• administrative litigation and administrative justice;
• administrative offenses and administrative liability;
• proceedings in cases of administrative offenses.

Sector-Specific Public Law Regulation

The section welcomes analyses of public law regulation in the fields of:

• finance and taxation;
• information, digital, and communication technologies;
• environmental protection;
• economic regulation;
• labor and employment.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

PRIVATE (CIVIL) LAW -

This section publishes research on the foundations, structure, and development of private law, as well as the regulation, dynamics, and protection of private law relationships in contemporary legal systems.

Foundations of Private Law

The section welcomes studies addressing:

• functions and objectives of private (civil) law;
• subject matter, methods, structure, and framework of private law branches;
• principles of legal regulation and legal implementation in private law;
• sources governing private law relations;
• concept, composition, and structure of private law relationships;
• property relations and their legal regulation.

Types of Private Law Relations

Research may focus on:

• civil, family, procedural, and other categories of private law relations;
• legal status of private law participants in various sectors of the economy and socio-cultural spheres;
• corporate matters, including participation in corporate entities and the governance of legal entities;
• relationships of economic dependence;
• insolvency (bankruptcy);
• participants in proceedings.

Dynamics of Private Law Relations

The section includes studies on:

• grounds for the emergence, modification, and termination of private law relationships;
• transactions in private law;
• private law obligations, including contractual obligations;
• exercise and protection of private rights;
• liability in specific categories of private law;
• inheritance law.

Regulation of Economic Activity

Research topics include:

• legal regulation of entrepreneurial and other economic activities;
• intellectual property law;
• civil, arbitral, and administrative proceedings.

Technology and Cross-Border Private Law

The section also covers:

• private law aspects of the use of modern technologies;
• private law relations involving a foreign element;
• criminal law research traditions in Russia and comparative perspectives from foreign jurisdictions.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

CRIMINAL LAW SCIENCES -

This section publishes research on the conceptual foundations, methodology, and contemporary development of criminal law and related disciplines, including criminology, criminal procedure, penal law, criminalistics, forensic science, and operational search activity.

Foundations and Methodology of Criminal Law Sciences

The section welcomes studies addressing:

• concept, theory, and methodology of criminal law sciences;
• subject matter, system, principles, and functions of criminal law disciplines;
• historical development of criminal law institutions;
• contemporary challenges in criminal law scholarship;
• conceptual apparatus of criminal law;
• criminal law research traditions in Russia and abroad;
• emerging and promising directions in criminal law research;
• interdisciplinary interaction with related fields.

Criminal Law and Criminal Policy

Research topics include:

• criminal law policy and its evolution;
• criminology and theories of crime prevention and control;
• legal foundations and mechanisms of criminal liability;
• comparative criminal law approaches.

Criminal Procedure and Criminal Justice

The section includes studies on:

• theory of criminal justice;
• criminal procedural activity and procedural guarantees;
• structure and functions of criminal proceedings;
• participants in procedural relations.

Criminalistics and Forensic Science

Research may focus on:

• criminalistics as a system of methods and tools for investigating crime;
• forensic science and expert evidence;
• methodological and practical issues in forensic examination.

Penal Law and the Penitentiary System

Topics include:

• penal (criminal-executive) law;
• theoretical foundations of the penitentiary system in Russia;
• rules governing punishment and its execution.

Operational Search Activity

The section also welcomes studies on:

• theory of operational search activity;
• legal and methodological issues of operational search support in criminal proceedings.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

INTERNATIONAL LAW -

This section publishes research on the foundations, development, and contemporary challenges of international law, including its interaction with domestic legal systems and its role in global governance and international security.

Foundations and Methodology of International Law

The section welcomes studies addressing:

• object, methodology, functions, and historical development of international law disciplines;
• conceptual approaches to international law;
• subject and methods of international law;
• system and structure of international law;
• doctrine of international legal personality;
• state as the primary subject of international law;
• non-state actors in international law;
• jurisdiction in international law;
• law of international organizations;
• interaction between international and domestic law;
• application and implementation of international law norms in national legal systems;
• coercion and international legal responsibility;
• relationship between public and private international law;
• international public law framework for regulating private law relations;
• international cooperation and the role of international organizations in regulating cross-border relations.

Individual in International Law

Research topics include:

• foundations of the legal status of the individual in international law;
• evolution of rights, obligations, and protections afforded to individuals under international norms.

Integration Processes and Global Governance

The section includes studies on:

• integration processes in the current global context;
• role of international organizations in global governance;
• cross-border legal harmonization.

International Security and Responsibility

Research may focus on:

• international security and mechanisms for its legal protection;
• coercion and international legal responsibility;
• legal framework of comprehensive international security;
• disarmament and international law;
• collective security systems.

Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and International Justice

Topics include:

• trends in the development of peaceful means of dispute settlement;

international adjudication and the functions of international courts and tribunals.

Open Submissions

Indexed

Peer Reviewed

Peer Review Process

Peer-Review

1. All manuscripts submitted to the journal undergo an initial editorial screening. Submissions that pass this stage are forwarded for mandatory double-blind peer review followed by mandatory approval by the Editorial Board. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers. All submissions are checked using the Antiplagiat similarity detection system. In cases of extensive borrowing, the Editorial Board acts in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

2. Within seven business days of receiving the manuscript submitted via the journal’s online system, the Editorial Office determines whether the submission fits the journal’s scope and formatting requirements and forwards it for peer review.

3. Reviews are conducted by scholars with recognized expertise in the relevant field (holders of doctoral or candidate degrees). The Editorial Board may also invite external subject‑matter specialists who are not affiliated with the author. In exceptional cases involving highly specialized topics, experts without an academic degree may be invited if they possess recognized professional authority. Reviewer selection is carried out exclusively by the Editorial Office.

Peer-Review

1. The reviewer assesses the submitted manuscript within 30 business days of receipt and submits the completed review or a reasoned rejection to the Editorial Office (by email or in person).

2. Reviewers must not be affiliated with the author. They may not be co-authors of the manuscript, employees of the same institution or its subdivisions, or participants in joint research projects with the author.

3. If the reviewer recommends clarifications or corrections, the Editorial Office invites the author either to revise the manuscript or to provide a reasoned objection. Authors are requested to complete revisions within two weeks and resubmit the revised manuscript for final evaluation. If the author does not submit a revised version within one month of receiving the initial review, the manuscript is deregistered, and the author is notified.

4. The review must assess:

• the relevance of the topic, scientific level, terminology, and structure of the manuscript;
• the quality of language and style, and compliance with formatting requirements;
• the scientific rigor of the presentation and the adequacy of methods, techniques, recommendations, and results;
• the logic and structure of the manuscript.

5. The review must contain one of the following recommendations:

a.  Accept for publication. – The manuscript contains no significant errors and meets relevance and originality requirements. It is added to the journal’s publication queue.

b. Revisions required. – The reviewer may request additions or clarifications. The manuscript is returned to the author with a deadline for revisions. The author must notify the Editorial Office within one day whether they agree to revise the manuscript. The date of resubmission is considered the new submission date. The revised manuscript undergoes repeat review.

If substantial issues remain, the Editorial Board may reject the manuscript without the possibility of further revision.

с. Reject and resubmit. – The manuscript is either rejected or sent for one additional review within three working days of the Editorial Board’s decision. Only one repeat review is permitted.

6. If the reviewer does not recommend the manuscript for publication — either initially or after revision — the review must specify the reasons for this decision.

7. Reviewers are not permitted to copy manuscripts or use their content without the author’s consent.

8. After receiving the reviews, the Editorial Board considers them at its next meeting and decides whether to publish or reject the manuscript. Manuscripts previously rejected are not reconsidered. The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief based on the reviews and the compliance of the manuscript with all journal requirements.

9. Authors whose manuscripts are rejected receive a reasoned explanation.

10. If the author disagrees with the reviewer’s conclusions, the Editorial Board may send the manuscript for additional (secondary) review.

11. Authors receive a copy of the review. Upon request, reviews are also provided to the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) and are retained by the Editorial Office for five years.

12. The Editorial Office does not store or return manuscripts that are not accepted for publication.

13. If the author and reviewers reach an impasse regarding revisions, the Editor-in-Chief resolves the conflict at their discretion.

14. A positive review does not guarantee publication. The Editorial Board makes the final decision, and the Editor-in-Chief has ultimate authority in all conflict situations.

Publication Frequency

4 issues per year

Open Access Policy

"Siberian Law Review" is an open access journal. All articles are made freely available to readers immediatly upon publication.

Our open access policy is in accordance with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) definition - it means that articles have free availability on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself.

For more information please read BOAI statement.

Archiving

• Russian State Library (RSL)
• National Electronic-Information Consortium (NEICON)

Publishing Ethics

The Siberian Law Review and its authors are committed to improving the quality of published articles and take all reasonable measures to prevent violations of publication ethics. Their work is guided by the ethical standards, norms, and rules set out in the recommendations of COPE, the Code of Ethics of Scientific Publications, the Declaration of the Association of Scientific Editors and Publishers “Ethical Principles of Scientific Publications,” and the best practices of leading international journals and publishers (including Elsevier’s Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement).

Authorship Ethics

1. Originality

Authors must submit an entirely original manuscript. Submitting a manuscript that has already been published, or submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously, is prohibited.

2. Absence of plagiarism

When authors use the work or words of others, this must be properly cited in accordance with the Author Guidelines.

Compilation or paraphrasing of another author’s text without proper citation is unacceptable.

3. Authorship of the work

The list of authors must include only those who contributed to the research and preparation of the manuscript. Gift authorship is not permitted. It is also unacceptable to exclude researchers who made a significant contribution. Any changes to the list of authors, including removal of an author, must be agreed upon by all authors.

If the article has more than two authors, an Author Contribution Statement must be provided. To determine contributions correctly, the journal recommends using one of the COPE-endorsed schemes:

• General Guidelines for Authorship Contributions
• CRediT – Contributor Roles Taxonomy

For example:

First author – conceptualization (problem formulation, development of the concept of the article).

Second author – investigation (collection of statistical data, tabular and graphical presentation of results).

Third author – description of results and formulation of research conclusions.

The corresponding author is responsible for the accuracy of the Author Contribution Statement and must coordinate it with every contributor.

A single co-author may perform several research roles, and a single role may be shared among multiple co-authors.

4. Confirmation of sources

Authors must accurately cite all sources of borrowed material and provide complete bibliographic information for every referenced publication. Any source cited in the text must appear in the reference list. The use of information obtained from unofficial or unverifiable sources (private correspondence, personal conversations) is not permitted.

5. Сonflict of interest

To ensure impartial evaluation, authors must inform the journal of any potential conflicts of interest that may influence the assessment of their manuscript. If a manuscript is submitted by the Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, a member of the Editorial Board, or a member of the Editorial Council, the manuscript is reviewed exclusively by external experts. When making a publication decision on such a manuscript, the editorial staff member must disclose the conflict of interest, transparently describe their status, and clarify whether the review process differed from the journal's standard peer-review procedure.

6. Detection of an error in a published work

If an author discovers an error in a published article, they must immediately notify the Editorial Office and assist in correcting it. If the Editorial Office is informed of an error by a third party, the author must provide evidence supporting the correctness of the published material or submit a correction or rebuttal. The journal supports the practice of issuing corrections to published materials and, when necessary, acts in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Ethics of reviewing scientific articles

1. Independence of review

Peer review must be honest, objective, and free from bias or personal judgment. If a reviewer identifies a conflict of interest, they must decline to review the manuscript.

2. Confidentiality

A manuscript received for review must be treated as confidential material. Neither the manuscript nor any part of it may be used by the reviewer for personal purposes without the author’s consent, nor may it be discussed with third parties.

3. Competence

If a reviewer feels that the manuscript lies outside their area of expertise, they must inform the Editorial Office and decline the review.

4. Decline to review

The journal may refuse to send a manuscript for review if:

• it does not meet formal submission requirements;
• authorship is in doubt or violated;
• the manuscript fails the plagiarism check.

5. Review Procedures

Manuscripts are reviewed in accordance with the approved peer-review rules adopted by the journal.

Ethics of editing scientific articles

1. Publication Requirements

It is guaranteed that all manuscript requirements are publicly available, and the Editorial Office may not demand anything that is not explicitly stated in these requirements.

2. Interaction with authors and reviewers

The Editorial Office ensures prompt responses to questions from authors and reviewers and provides all necessary information regarding its work and the review process. The Editorial Office also has the right to request clarifications from authors or reviewers on any matters related to the manuscript.

3. Conflict of interest

Editors must not make decisions regarding manuscripts with which they have a conflict of interest.

4. Changes to manuscripts

During pre-publication editing, the Editorial Office must inform the author(s) of any substantive or meaningful changes made to the manuscript.

Ethics of publishing scientific articles

1. Equal treatment of all submissions

The journal guarantees equal consideration of all submitted manuscripts, without prejudice based on the author’s nationality, religion, professional status, or institutional position. Commercial interests must not influence editorial decisions. The journal’s publishing policy is grounded in respect for authors’ personal rights and intellectual property rights.

2. Unbiased evaluation of submitted materials

In evaluating manuscripts, the Editorial Office is guided primarily by the principles of relevance, significance, accuracy, originality, and completeness of the submitted material, as well as its compliance with the journal’s quality standards and technical requirements.

3. High-quality peer review

The journal guarantees that manuscripts are reviewed by highly qualified experts in the field of law.

4. Transparency regarding research funding

The journal ensures disclosure of information about the funding and sponsorship of published research materials.

Founder

• Siberian Law University

Author fees

Publication in "Siberian Law Review" is free of charge for all the authors.

The journal doesn't have any Article processing charges.

The journal doesn't have any Article submission charges.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

Unpublished materials disclosed in a submitted manuscript must not be used in a reviewer’s own research without the express written consent of the author. Privileged information or ideas obtained through peer review must be kept confidential and not used for personal advantage.

Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships or connections with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the papers.

Plagiarism detection

"Siberian Law Review" use native russian-language plagiarism detection software Antiplagiat to screen the submissions. If plagiarism is identified, the COPE guidelines on plagiarism will be followed.

Preprint and postprint Policy

Authors may make their manuscripts available as preprints on personal or publicly accessible websites before acceptance and publication in the Siberian Law Review. Manuscripts posted on such sites remain eligible for consideration, provided the sites are not associated with other publishers. Authors should ensure that, once the article is published, the preprint record includes a link to the final published version on the journal's official website.

Definitions (by SHERPA)

A preprint is a draft version of an academic article or other scholarly work before it has been submitted for peer review or any other quality-assurance procedure within the publication process.

Preprints include initial and subsequent drafts of articles, working papers, or draft conference papers.

A postprint is the final version of an academic article or other scholarly work after peer review and revision by the author.

This term generally includes both the author’s final accepted manuscript and the version as published, including formatting and copy-editing changes.

Rules for Interaction Between the Editorial Office, the Publisher, and Author Teams in Cases of Error Detection Before and After Publication

The Editorial Office, the publisher, and the author teams act in a coordinated and open manner in situations where errors are discovered before and after publication.

Pre-publication stage

The Editorial Office ensures the accuracy of scholarly and bibliographic information by promptly issuing corrections when errors are identified. Depending on the circumstances, the journal may also publish clarifications, withdraw materials prior to publication, or issue expressions of concern when potential issues require attention but do not yet warrant a correction or withdrawal.

If a member of the Editorial Office identifies an error (phrasing or linguistic, factual, methodological, bibliographic, or ethical) in an unpublished manuscript, they must notify the author(s), the Executive Secretary, and the Editor-in-Chief.

If the author(s) and/or reviewer(s) identify errors (phrasing or linguistic, factual, methodological, bibliographic, or ethical), they must notify the Editorial Office and propose options for correcting them.

Upon receiving proposals or recommendations from interested parties (authors, reviewers, or editorial staff), the Editorial Office, guided by COPE principles and the journal’s editorial policy, decides on the nature and scope of the required revisions, which may include minor corrections, clarifications, substantial revision, and withdrawal of the manuscript from further consideration.

All changes must be agreed upon with the authors before publication. Unilateral alterations to the author’s text without consent are not permitted. The Editorial Office and the publisher ensure confidentiality of correspondence and maintain a respectful, professional tone in all interactions. Before publication, the final layout of the manuscript is sent to the author for review and approval.

Post-Publication Stage

When errors are identified in published articles, the Editorial Office and/or the publisher ensure the prompt publication of corrections. The Editorial Office ensures that:

• corrections are issued in a way that allows indexing services and secondary databases to detect them and link them to the original publication;
• the number and types of errors in the journal are monitored alongside other journal metrics;
• if preventable errors increase, appropriate measures are taken to minimize and eliminate such issues in the future.

If an error is discovered after publication, the person who identifies it must notify the Editorial Office at nauka@siblu.ru. All detected errors, inaccuracies, or typographical mistakes must be reported, even if they do not directly affect:

• interpretation of research results;
• accuracy of references;
• authorship attribution;
• conflict-of-interest disclosures;
• or other ethical considerations.

After receiving such a notification, the Editorial Office requests the opinion of the author, consults subject editors and, if necessary, reviewers, evaluates the nature of the error, and decides on the appropriate corrective action, which may include:

• publication of an erratum or corrigendum;
• an addendum to the article;
• an expression of concern;
• initiation of a retraction procedure when errors or ethical violations undermine the reliability of the conclusions of the study.

All decisions are documented and communicated to authors and readers through appropriate notices on the journal’s website and in relevant databases. All actions of the Editorial Office and the publisher in such situations are carried out in full compliance with international standards of publication ethics.

Policy of using generative AI

The Siberian Law Review recognizes the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (hereinafter “AI”) and AI-based technologies, which are increasingly used by researchers and continue to evolve in line with emerging best practices. The journal therefore establishes the following rules for the use of AI by all participants in the editorial process, including authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and contributors. The Editorial Office guarantees transparency regarding the possible use of AI tools.

For authors

Use of Generative AI in manuscript preparation

1. Authors must use AI tools responsibly. When using AI during manuscript preparation, authors should be aware of its limitations and verify any AI-generated information.

2. Authors should understand that generative AI is a supplementary tool, not a substitute for scholarly judgment. AI tools may assist with tasks such as literature review, research gap identification, idea generation, and language and readability improvement.

3. When preparing a manuscript for the Siberian Law Review, authors must not replace critical thinking, expert knowledge, or human evaluation with AI tools. Authors bear full responsibility for all results obtained through AI and submitted to the journal. This includes:

• independent, complete, and accurate verification of all AI-generated content, especially sources and references;
• careful editing and formatting of any AI-assisted material;
• confirmation that the manuscript reflects the author’s genuine and original contribution, including their own analysis, interpretation, ideas, and viewpoints.

4. Authors should carefully review the terms of use for any AI tools to ensure the privacy of their data and inputs, including personal data, and to protect their copyright.

5. Authors must notify the Editorial Office of any use of AI tools during manuscript preparation by completing a separate AI Use Statement when submitting the manuscript through their author account. This statement will appear in the published article.

Authors must specify:

• the name of the AI tool used;
• the purpose of its use;
• the extent of independent verification of AI-generated material.

Examples:

Generative AI. No generative artificial intelligence technologies were used in the creation of this article.

Generative AI. In preparing this article, the following elements — [options: the entire article, a specific section, the author summary, illustrations, tables, other] — were generated or assisted using the ChatGPT 4.0 chatbot (OpenAI, https://openai.com). The period of use was March–April 2024.

The AI Use Statement promotes transparency and trust among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and all participants in the publication process. It also helps ensure compliance with the terms of use of the relevant AI tool. Any use of AI in the research process must be declared and described in detail in the Methods section.

6. Generative AI cannot be listed as an author or co-author. AI systems lack consciousness and agency, cannot hold copyright, cannot take responsibility for research results, and cannot disclose conflicts of interest. Therefore, authorship is limited to human contributors only.

7. The Editorial Office prohibits the use of AI-based software to create or modify images in submitted research. The Editorial Office may use image analysis tools or specialized software to detect potential image manipulation in submitted manuscripts. Exceptions may be made for specific research fields where AI-based visualization is necessary for generating or interpreting original research data (e.g., forensic science, criminology, forensic medicine, and related areas). In such cases, the author must:

• describe the use of AI in the Methods section;
• clearly identify AI as a tool;
• ensure proper attribution in accordance with the specific terms of use of the AI software.

For reviewers

Use of Generative AI and AI-based technologies in the peer-review process.

1. Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts independently. The use of generative AI or AI-based technologies to conduct peer review is strictly prohibited, as the critical thinking, expert judgment, and original assessment required for peer review exceed the capabilities of such tools. AI systems may produce incorrect, incomplete, or biased conclusions. The reviewer bears full responsibility for the content of the review report.

2. A reviewer who receives a manuscript for evaluation must treat it as a confidential document. Reviewers are prohibited from uploading the manuscript — in whole or in part — to any generative AI tool. Doing so may violate confidentiality obligations, copyright and, if the manuscript contains personal data, the right to privacy.

3. Reviewers must also not upload their review text or expert comments to AI-based tools, even for the purpose of improving language or readability. Review reports may contain confidential information about the manuscript; therefore, uploading them to AI systems may compromise confidentiality.

For editors

Use of Generative AI and AI-based technologies in the editorial process

Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.

1. Editors must not upload a submitted manuscript — in whole or in part — to any generative AI tool. Doing so may violate confidentiality obligations, copyright, and, if the manuscript contains identifiable information, data-privacy rights.

2. This confidentiality requirement applies to all communications related to the manuscript. These materials may contain confidential information about the manuscript and/or its authors. For this reason, editors must not upload their emails or editorial notes to AI systems, even for language polishing or readability improvement.

3. Editors remain fully responsible for managing the editorial process, making the final publication decision, and communicating that decision to the authors.

Appeals and Complaints

The Siberian Law Review treats all authors with respect and transparency. Every author receives a reasoned review of their submitted manuscript.

Authors may challenge a decision to reject a manuscript after the full peer-review process by submitting a reasoned appeal to the Editor-in-Chief, who reviews the arguments and forwards the relevant materials to the reviewers for reconsideration. After examining the materials submitted by the author and the Editorial Office (if applicable), reviewers may:

• uphold the original rejection;
• recommend additional reviewers; or
• uphold the appeal.

The decision on the appeal is final. The author is informed of the outcome using the communication method specified in the appeal.

Any participant in the editorial process may submit a complaint to the Editor-in-Chief if they believe their rights were violated during any stage of the editorial process. The Editor-in-Chief reviews the complaint and may involve relevant editorial staff, including reviewers and authors, to resolve the issue.

Complaints concerning editorial procedures

The Editor-in-Chief examines the complaint on its merits and, based on the available information, makes a final decision. A response is sent to the complainant in electronic or paper form.

When considering complaints related to violations of publication ethics, the Editor-in-Chief is guided by the ethical standards set out in the journal's Publishing Ethics policy. In complex cases, the Editor-in-Chief may refer the matter to the Editorial Board for discussion. In such cases, the decision is made collectively and documented in the minutes of the meeting.

Article Retragmentation Policy

The Siberian Law Review follows the Retraction Rules of the Association of Scientific Editors and Publishers (ASEP/ANRI).

Retraction is the mechanism for correcting the scholarly record when a published article contains serious flaws, erroneous data, or significant violations of publication ethics, whether resulting from honest error or intentional misconduct.

Its goals are to correct the published record, warn against reliance on the retracted work, preserve research integrity, and maintain reader trust.

Retraction is not intended as a punishment or a means of compromising the author(s).

The Editorial Office must inform the author(s) of any forthcoming retraction. Authors may disagree with the decision; however, if grounds for retraction are identified, the Editorial Office conducts an assessment. If the grounds are confirmed, the publication is retracted. The Editorial Board may also impose a temporary ban on submissions from the author(s).

Grounds for Retraction

Retraction may be initiated for the following reasons:

• plagiarism (incorrect or improperly attributed borrowing);
• duplicate publication in multiple journals;
• extensive self-plagiarism involving previously published results or text;
• falsification or fabrication of data (e.g., manipulation of experimental results);
• serious errors (e.g., incorrect interpretation of results) that undermine the scientific value of the article;
• incorrect authorship (exclusion of legitimate authors; inclusion of individuals who do not meet authorship criteria);
• undisclosed conflict of interest;
• republication of an article without the author’s consent;
• other violations of publication ethics.

Retraction may be initiated by the Editorial Office or by the author(s) and/or third parties.

Initiation by the Editorial Office

The Editor-in-Chief may initiate the procedure based on an internal investigation. To clarify suspected violations of publication ethics, the Editorial Office may request information from the author(s) and/or third parties, including other editorial offices. After reviewing the responses and all available evidence, the Editorial Board makes a collective, reasoned decision. The author is informed of the decision and may submit a written explanation in response.

Initiation by the author(s) or third parties

A reasoned request must be submitted to the Editorial Office explaining the grounds for retraction (e.g., errors, inaccuracies, or use of third-party material without proper acknowledgement). Such issues must significantly affect the content or results of the study and cannot be corrected. The Editorial Office conducts an internal assessment. If the Editorial Board approves the retraction, the journal’s standard procedure applies.

If the Editorial Office does not respond, the requester may contact the Ethics Council of the ASEP. In all cases, the decision to retract an article is made collectively by the Editorial Board and is formalized in the minutes of the meeting. The retraction record must include:

• full name(s) of the author(s);
• title of the article;
• journal title;
• publication details and DOI;
• the initiator of the retraction;
• the grounds for retraction (in cases of plagiarism or duplication, a reference to the original source);
• the date of the decision;
• a link to the article metadata page on the journal website, containing information about the retraction;
• the reason for retraction; and
• the full text of the article marked “RETRACTED.”

The same “RETRACTED” label is placed in the Table of Contents of the issue.

In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to remove an article from the electronic version of the journal. Such cases include situations where the article contains defamatory statements, violations of privacy, content subject to a court ruling, or material that may pose a serious risk to public health.

In these circumstances, the metadata (title and authors) are retained, and the retraction notice should clearly state the reason for retraction.

The minutes of the Editorial Board meeting, together with the formal retraction conclusion, are submitted by the Editor-in-Chief to the following bodies:

• Ethics Council of ASEP, for inclusion in the unified database of retracted articles;
• National Electronic Library (elibrary.ru), where the article’s metadata and full text remain available, with an added retraction notice; retracted articles and citations from them are excluded from the Russian Science Citation Index (RINTS) and do not contribute to metric calculations;
• Other indexing databases, where the article’s metadata and full text likewise remain available but are supplemented with retraction information;
• VAK, if the article was used in a dissertation defense.

A separate retraction notice is posted on the journal’s website.