Believers Medical Journal (BeMJ) is committed to maintaining transparent, efficient, and ethically responsible editorial and peer-review procedures. This policy describes the circumstances and process for withdrawing a manuscript before its formal publication as the Version of Record.
The policy aims to accommodate legitimate author requests while protecting the integrity of editorial records and recognizing the time and effort contributed by editors and peer reviewers. Withdrawal requests are assessed in accordance with journal procedures, relevant Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices, and transparency principles reflected in Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) criteria.
A clearly defined withdrawal process supports responsible editorial administration and helps prevent the continued processing or publication of manuscripts affected by significant unresolved concerns.
The main objectives are to:
Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript for a legitimate scientific, ethical, legal, or administrative reason, including:
The Corresponding Author should submit a written withdrawal request explaining the reason for withdrawal and confirming the agreement of all authors. BeMJ may request additional documentation or clarification when necessary to assess the request.
The journal may terminate editorial processing, reject a manuscript, or close its submission record when serious concerns are established or essential requirements have not been satisfied. Circumstances may include:
A withdrawal request submitted during active peer review should be made promptly and should include a clear explanation.
The journal will acknowledge the request, discontinue ongoing review activity where practicable, and confirm the manuscript's withdrawal status in writing.
Requests submitted after acceptance require careful editorial consideration because copyediting, typesetting, metadata preparation, or other production activities may already have commenced.
The decision will take into account the reason for withdrawal, the manuscript's current publication status, and any potential effect on the scholarly record.
Authors should not submit the manuscript to another journal until BeMJ has confirmed the withdrawal in writing.
Concurrent submission, misleading communication, or abandonment of an active submission may be assessed under the journal's applicable publication-ethics procedures.
Once an article has been formally published online as the Version of Record, it is no longer treated as a simple pre-publication withdrawal.
Any subsequent action, including a Correction, Retraction, Expression of Concern, or exceptional content-removal action, will be handled under the journal's applicable post-publication policies and relevant publication-ethics guidance.
The distinction between a manuscript withdrawal and a post-publication action is based on the article's formal publication status and its place within the scholarly record.
Believers Medical Journal (BeMJ) evaluates withdrawal requests using transparent editorial procedures informed by relevant COPE Core Practices and DOAJ transparency principles.
This policy is reviewed periodically and may be updated when necessary to reflect changes in editorial workflows, publication practices, and scholarly publishing standards.
Withdrawal requests are evaluated fairly according to the manuscript's editorial and publication status. The Editor-in-Chief or designated editor retains responsibility for the final editorial decision after considering the withdrawal request, supporting information, applicable journal procedures, and any relevant publication-integrity concerns.