Experts are questioning the legality of an investigation in East China’s Shandong Province, where local police are requesting blood samples from around 5,000 male students at Binzhou University.

Authorities claim that the collection will be used to compile a DNA database to aid them in cracking a string of campus thefts at the university. 

Students said that the school notified them of the blood sample collection on September 20, but they were not informed as to its purpose.

Zhang Chenghua, a public relations officer at the university, explained that the school is cooperating with the local police to establish a database of the area’s floating population.

Hong Daode, a law professor with the China University of Political Science and Law, called their collection of blood samples “legally dubious”, as police can only request DNA samples from the suspects or victims of a crime.

However, Hong explained that such requests are not clearly forbidden by law. He added that authorities should have stated clearly the reasons for the DNA samples.

Local police responded in an e-mail that their investigation is not in violation of laws and no personal information will be disclosed.

China.cnr.cn

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