Scientific fraud is deeply immoral because it has the potential to subvert our sapience, harming our ability to act rationally and morally. Such behaviour is criminal from basic principles of justice and human laws should reflect that.
I guess academic fraud is fraud in the legal sense. The problem is that the 'fraud' statute requires 'damages' and 'intent' to have standing, and they're difficult to prove in academic fraud.
That role is reserved for the tribunals. Judges are supposed to determine what is protected speech, and what is not.