Retraction and Withdrawal Policy

Policy Statement

Mataram Journal of International Law (MAJIL) upholds the integrity of the scholarly record and recognizes that authors invest significant effort in preparing manuscripts and following the peer-review process. However, in certain circumstances, published or submitted articles may require correction, withdrawal, or retraction due to ethical violations or significant errors.

MAJIL is committed to maintaining the reliability, transparency, and completeness of the academic record. Any action involving correction, withdrawal, or retraction will be conducted carefully, transparently, and in accordance with international best practices, including the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics.

Published articles are considered part of the permanent scholarly record and should remain accessible, accurate, and unaltered whenever possible. Therefore, retraction or removal will only be undertaken under exceptional circumstances.

1. Article Retraction

Retraction is applied to published articles that are found to contain serious violations of scientific or ethical standards.

Grounds for Retraction

An article may be retracted in cases including, but not limited to:

  • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism
  • Duplicate or multiple submissions/publications
  • False authorship claims
  • Fabrication or falsification of data
  • Ethical misconduct in research
  • Major errors that invalidate the findings
  • Legal issues such as copyright infringement

Retraction Procedure

MAJIL follows a structured and transparent retraction process:

  1. Identification of Concern
    Concerns may be raised by editors, reviewers, readers, or institutions.
  2. Investigation
    The Editor evaluates the case in accordance with COPE guidelines, including communication with the author(s).
  3. Editorial Board Consultation
    The case is reviewed by the editorial board to ensure consistency and fairness.
  4. Decision
    The Editor-in-Chief makes the final decision.
  5. Retraction Notice
    If retraction is confirmed:
    • A retraction statement will be published
    • The original article will remain accessible
    • The article will be clearly marked as “RETRACTED” (e.g., watermark on PDF)
    • The reason for retraction will be clearly stated

Retraction notices will also be listed in the journal issue and linked to the original article.

2. Article Withdrawal (Before Publication)

Withdrawal applies to manuscripts that have been submitted or accepted but not yet formally published.

Grounds for Withdrawal

Withdrawal may occur when:

  • The manuscript contains significant errors
  • Duplicate submission is identified
  • Ethical violations are detected
  • The manuscript was submitted inadvertently
  • Authors request withdrawal with valid justification

Withdrawal Policy

  • Authors must submit a formal withdrawal request letter
  • Withdrawal without editorial approval is considered unethical
  • If ethical violations are identified, the manuscript will be rejected
  • Repeated violations may result in sanctions (e.g., submission restrictions)

In withdrawal cases, the manuscript will be removed from the journal system and replaced with a notice stating that the article has been withdrawn.

3. Article Correction

Corrections are issued when an article contains minor errors that do not invalidate the overall findings.

Types of Corrections

  1. Erratum (Publisher Correction)
    Issued when errors are introduced during the publication process.
  2. Corrigendum (Author Correction)
    Issed when errors are made by the author(s).
  3. Addendum
    Additional information provided to clarify or expand the original work.

Conditions for Correction

Corrections may be issued if:

  • A minor portion of the article contains inaccurate data
  • The author list is incorrect
  • There are errors that affect clarity but not the validity of the research

The decision to issue a correction is made by the Editor, with possible consultation from reviewers or the editorial board.

4. Article Removal (Legal Limitations)

In rare and exceptional cases, an article may be removed from the journal website if:

  • The content is defamatory
  • It violates legal rights or copyright
  • It is subject to a court order
  • It poses a serious risk to public safety

In such cases:

  • The article text will be removed
  • Metadata (title, author, etc.) will remain
  • A removal notice will be displayed explaining the reason

5. Article Replacement

In cases where an article poses a significant risk if used or contains serious errors:

  • The original article may be retracted
  • A corrected version may be republished
  • A clear link between the original and corrected version will be provided
  • The publication history will be transparently documented

6. Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring originality and accuracy
  • Avoiding duplicate submissions
  • Complying with ethical research standards

Authors do not have the right to withdraw or alter a published article without following this policy, even if they hold copyright.

7. Editorial Responsibility

The editorial team is responsible for:

  • Ensuring ethical publishing practices
  • Conducting fair and transparent investigations
  • Maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record