European scholars of religion and human rights experts are urging the South Korean government to release Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old Chairman of Shincheonji Church, who has been detained since June 24 on charges related to violations of the Political Parties Act. The detention, which has drawn international criticism, is seen by many as a disproportionate response to allegations that Mr. Lee directed the mass registration of church members into a political party.
At the Ninth Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe) held in Rome on July 3, scholars presented papers on Shincheonji Church and addressed the recent situation in South Korea. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist of religion and founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), stated that detaining an elderly person over non-violent allegations violates international law, including the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which stipulate that preliminary detention should be exceptional for elderly prisoners. He described the situation as "an unmitigated scandal, which hides a political and religious vendetta."
Eric Roux, President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), echoed these sentiments, calling the imprisonment of a 95-year-old man irreconcilable with human dignity. He urged South Korea to "get that man out of jail and do it now." Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli, Chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), expressed shock, saying that South Korea appears to be departing from its own Constitution and human rights foundations.
Shincheonji Church has maintained that individual members freely participated in political activities and that Chairman Lee and the church have cooperated fully with the investigation. The church expressed deep regret over the detention, calling it a form of physical punishment given Mr. Lee's advanced age.
International human rights organizations United for Human Rights and Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP-LC) submitted a joint written statement to the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, assessing that the situation has intensified in South Korea. They argued that framing members' political registration as evidence of "religion–politics collusion" is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The statement also noted that senior officials have publicly referred to Shincheonji as a "criminal organization," which is incompatible with the presumption of innocence.
Shincheonji Church emphasized that the detention has become an international human rights issue, with growing support and petitions from prominent figures. The church stated, "The prompt release of Chairman Lee is a matter of safeguarding freedom of religion and human rights, which are core values of democracy."
For more information, visit Shincheonji's official website at https://www.shincheonji.org/en or SCJ TV at https://www.scjtvglobal.com.
