Conflict of Interest Policy

For Reviewers

If a reviewer is unable to evaluate a manuscript impartially, they must decline the invitation to review. If the reviewer has any professional, personal, or financial affiliations that constitute, or may be perceived as constituting, a conflict of interest in relation to the manuscript, they must refuse the review. If such a conflict is identified after receiving the full manuscript materials, the reviewer must immediately withdraw from the process and fully inform the journal’s editorial office. If any aspect of the manuscript falls outside the reviewer’s area of expertise, the reviewer must notify the editor accordingly.

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For Authors

Authors are required to disclose any financial, professional, or personal conflicts of interest that may influence the content of the manuscript. If no conflicts exist, the following statement should be included:
"The author(s) declare no conflict of interest."

If the author is a member of the editorial board, the manuscript must be assigned to an independent editor for evaluation, and it must undergo the same assessment standards applied to all other submissions.

Manuscripts submitted by close colleagues, friends, or students of editorial board members must be handled by an independent editor to ensure impartiality. The same applies in cases where prior personal or academic conflicts exist between the author and any member of the editorial or review team.

This policy is based on the standards of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).