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 alleged mass voter registration of church members. The case has drawn international criticism, with experts arguing that detaining an elderly person for non-violent offenses contravenes international standards and damages South Korea's standing as a democracy.
Lee was indicted on June 30 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act, accused of directing approximately 50,000 church members to register with a political party between July 2021 and January 2024. Shincheonji Church has stated that members participated in political activities freely and that both Lee and the church have cooperated fully with the investigation. The church expressed regret, asserting that detaining a 95-year-old amounts to physical punishment.
At the European Academy of Religion's Ninth Annual Conference in Rome on July 3, scholars addressed the situation. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, sociologist of religion and founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions, noted that European Union laws generally prohibit imprisoning those over 80 except for violent crimes. "Here, of course, there are no blood crimes," he said, adding that the detention violates the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which discourage pretrial detention for the elderly. He called the situation "an unmitigated scandal" that hides a "political and religious vendetta."
Eric Roux, President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom, emphasized the injustice: "A man of 95 years old being put in jail is not something that you can reconcile with the objective of respecting human dignity." He urged South Korea to release Lee promptly to avoid damage to its reputation.
Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli, chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief, expressed shock, stating that the detention is "unthinkable in a democratic country." He said, "I always considered South Korea a true democracy where human rights are upheld… Unfortunately, what's happening now is truly shocking."
The international human rights organizations United for Human Rights and Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience submitted a joint statement to the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on May 25, criticizing the situation. They argued that framing church members' political registration as "religion–politics collusion" is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The statement noted that South Korean officials have publicly referred to Shincheonji as a "criminal organization," incompatible with the presumption of innocence, and urged the government to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion and state neutrality.
Shincheonji Church stated that the detention has become an international human rights issue, with growing support and petitions from prominent figures. The church emphasized that Lee's prompt release is essential for safeguarding freedom of religion and human rights, core democratic values. Full details are available on the church's official website at https://www.shincheonji.org/en and SCJ TV at https://www.scjtvglobal.com.
