The detention of Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old Chairman of the Shincheonji Church, has drawn sharp criticism from European scholars of religion and human rights experts, who are urging the South Korean government to release him. Lee was detained on June 24 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act and was indicted on June 29. The Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters alleges that, between July 2021 and January 2024, he directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a particular political party. In response, Shincheonji Church stated that individual members freely participated in political activities and that both Chairman Lee and the church have faithfully cooperated with the investigation. The church also expressed deep regret, stating that detaining an elderly man of 95 amounts to a form of physical punishment.
The European Academy of Religion (EuARe) held its Ninth Annual Conference in Rome, Italy, on July 3, where the situation of Shincheonji Church was addressed. During a session titled "Shincheonji, a Korean New Religion in Global Context," European scholars presented academic papers on the church and shared the recent developments in South Korea. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist of religion and founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), commented that in all European Union countries, legislation mandates that those older than 80 should only exceptionally be jailed, and only for violent crimes with a risk of bloodshed. He stated, "Here, of course, there are no blood crimes, and the accusations are violations of electoral law." He further argued that South Korea's actions violate international law, including the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which state that preliminary detention should be the exception, not the rule, particularly 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), reiterated the injustice, saying, "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 a swift review to avoid damaging South Korea's reputation, adding, "Please, 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, noting that South Korea has long been considered a true democracy where human rights are upheld. He said, "We cannot accept that a religious leader in a democratic country, at the age of 95, has to be under this kind of pressure." He warned that South Korea appears to be departing from its own constitutional and human rights foundations.
The detention has also been raised as an international human rights issue. International 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 (UNHRC) on May 25, assessing that the situation has intensified in South Korea. They argued that framing members' registration with a political party as evidence of "religion–politics collusion" is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees every citizen the right to participate in political life. The statement also noted that senior officials have publicly referred to Shincheonji as a "criminal organization," which is incompatible with the presumption of innocence. The organizations urged the South Korean government to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion, non-discrimination, and state neutrality.
Shincheonji Church emphasized that support and petitions from prominent figures in the international community continue to grow, increasing pressure on the South Korean government and judiciary. 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." The case has sparked a broader debate about religious freedom and the treatment of elderly detainees in democratic societies.
