International human rights organizations have voiced serious concerns over the treatment of elderly religious leaders in South Korea, calling on authorities to review the detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation. The groups, including Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), CAP Liberté de Conscience, FOREF, CESNUR, and Bitter Winter, held a press conference on August 7 at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club to address issues of freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression.
The organizations highlighted that the detention of Chairman Lee, who is awaiting trial on charges related to alleged election interference, raises questions of proportionality, humanitarian considerations, and due process. They argue that his advanced age and health condition make pretrial detention particularly harsh and unnecessary, especially given that alternative measures such as house arrest could be applied. Thierry Valle, president of CAP Liberté de Conscience, emphasized that South Korea's ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture obligates it to ensure that detention is not arbitrary and that the presumption of innocence is upheld. He cited precedents from other countries, such as the release on bail of Cardinal Joseph Zen in Hong Kong and the house arrest of Buddhist Patriarch Thich Quang Do in Vietnam, as more humane alternatives.
Michael Langhans, executive director of FOREF Germany, questioned the necessity of pretrial detention given the evidence already gathered, and whether the investigation was conducted neutrally or with a bias against the Shincheonji community as a "sect" or "cult." He argued that the case raises broader legal questions about how measures intended to protect fair elections can be applied without infringing on constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of religion.
The groups also expressed concerns about a pattern of discrimination against religious minorities in South Korea. They noted ongoing harassment of Segero Church in Busan, even after Pastor Son Hyun-bo was released from detention, and issues such as conscientious objection, hostility towards a mosque project in Daegu, and lack of religious accommodation in education. HRWF has documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses as conscientious objectors, and although alternative civilian service was introduced, critics argue it is punitive, requiring 36 months of service in correctional facilities, twice the length of regular military service.
Márk Nemes, deputy director of CESNUR, highlighted that Shincheonji is a global religious movement with congregations worldwide, and the persecution in South Korea affects its members abroad, who face increased hostility. He stressed that the rights to freedom of expression and religion, as enshrined in the ICCPR, are inalienable for all individuals, regardless of their faith.
Massimo Introvigne, managing director of CESNUR and editor-in-chief of Bitter Winter, said that South Korea "has crossed a worrying line" by arresting Chairman Lee, and that international standards such as the Mandela Rules would favor house arrest for a 95-year-old accused of non-violent offenses. He described the charges as "legally and conceptually overstretched" and part of a broader pattern of pressure against minority faiths.
The organizations called on South Korean authorities, the media, and the international community to examine these developments with close attention to due process, proportionality, and equal protection of fundamental rights. At the conclusion of the press conference, the scholars signed an official letter calling for the immediate release of Chairman Lee from custody.
