The Coordination des Associations et Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), an international NGO with special consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council, has submitted a joint written statement to the UN Human Rights Council expressing concern over the spread of discrimination and stigma against members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus. The statement, released by the church on July 9, warns that negative perceptions and unverified materials originating in South Korea could influence public opinion and administrative or judicial decisions abroad.
CAP LC urged governments to base decisions concerning Shincheonji Church of Jesus on verifiable evidence and clear legal standards. The NGO has previously raised issues such as the persecution of the Church of Almighty God in China and concerns over violations of religious freedom related to the Japanese government's request for a dissolution order against the Unification Church.
The statement cites cases in the United Kingdom and German-speaking countries. In the UK, the Charity Commission rejected Shincheonji Church of Jesus's application for registration, labeling the church a "cult"—a term without clear legal definition. CAP LC noted that such terminology in official administrative procedures can produce strong social stigma. In Germany and other German-speaking countries, members have faced workplace discrimination amid negative public sentiment driven by certain media outlets and church figures. CAP LC pointed to a 2025 book by evangelical activists as a major factor deepening discriminatory perceptions.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus said these cases show that unfounded stigma and unverified claims are causing disadvantages for individual members in workplaces, families, and social lives. The church called for administrative and judicial decisions in each country to be based on clear legal standards and verifiable evidence.
The statement also addressed South Korea's investigation into allegations related to church members' party membership. CAP LC criticized claims that such membership amounts to "religion-politics collusion," stating that political participation should not be treated as grounds for suspicion solely because individuals are members of a particular religion. The NGO called on the South Korean government to uphold freedom of religion, non-discrimination, and religious neutrality.
On June 24, a South Korean court issued an arrest warrant for Chairman Lee Man-hee, citing concerns including possible destruction of evidence. On June 29, the government joint investigation headquarters indicted Lee while in detention on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act. Shincheonji Church of Jesus maintains that the case should be handled according to due process and objective evidence, not social perceptions or political controversy. The church also questioned the necessity and proportionality of detaining Lee, who is 95 years old, has cooperated with the investigation, and key materials have already been secured.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus said the cases of discrimination cited in CAP LC's statement and the investigation in South Korea raise a common question: what standards should state judicial and administrative authorities apply when dealing with religious minorities? The church emphasized that the issue goes beyond controversy over a particular religious group and serves as a measure of whether the rights of religious minorities are equally protected in domestic and international procedures. How the case is resolved would test the strength of social and institutional trust in the protection of religious minorities.
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