In a press conference held August 7 at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club, international human rights groups raised alarms over what they describe as a troubling pattern of religious freedom violations in South Korea. The event, organized by Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), FOREF, CESNUR, and Bitter Winter, focused on the cases of elderly religious leaders currently in pretrial detention, including 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation. The groups called on South Korean authorities to review these detentions, emphasizing the need for proportionality, humanitarian consideration, and adherence to due process.
The press conference highlighted that these cases are part of a broader pattern of concern. For instance, Segero Church in Busan has reportedly continued to face harassment and official scrutiny even after Pastor Son Hyun-bo's release. Additionally, issues such as conscientious objection, public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation in educational settings remain unresolved. HRWF has documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses in South Korea as conscientious objectors, and although alternative civilian service was introduced, critics argue it is implemented punitively, requiring 36 months of service in correctional facilities—twice the length of regular military service. Recent court decisions have upheld this system against constitutional challenges.
Hans Noot, associate director of HRWF, opened the conference by stating that the issues at stake "lie at the heart of democratic society." He warned that when religious communities are stigmatized and peaceful gatherings restricted, the consequences "extend far beyond any single group or case." The conference aimed to defend the principle that fundamental rights apply equally to all, rather than any specific theology or movement.
Thierry Valle, president of CAP Liberté de Conscience, addressed the legality of Chairman Lee's detention under international law. He referenced South Korea's ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1990 and the Convention against Torture in 1995, questioning whether placing a 95-year-old in pretrial detention is consistent with these obligations. Valle stressed that the presumption of innocence must prevail, and noted that alternative measures exist in democratic countries, citing examples such as Cardinal Joseph Zen's release on bail in Hong Kong in 2022 and Vietnam's decision to place Buddhist Patriarch Thich Quang Do under house arrest.
Michael Langhans, executive director of FOREF Germany, provided a legal analysis questioning the necessity of pretrial detention for Chairman Lee, given that evidence may already be sufficient for indictment. He also questioned whether the evidence was gathered neutrally or through a narrative framing the defendant's community as a "sect" or "cult." Langhans argued that the case raises broader questions for lawmakers about whether measures meant to protect fair elections can be applied without nullifying the constitutional and international right to freedom of religion.
Márk Nemes, deputy director of CESNUR, discussed the global impact of the persecution. He noted three recent scholarly investigations in Shincheonji congregations in Europe, Argentina, and Australia, all finding a worrying increase in hostility toward the peaceful and cooperative religious movement. Nemes emphasized that Shincheonji is a global movement, and disproportionate persecution in South Korea affects congregants abroad, whose freedoms are enshrined in ICCPR Articles 18 and 19.
Massimo Introvigne, managing director of CESNUR and editor-in-chief of Bitter Winter, said South Korea "has crossed a worrying line" by arresting Chairman Lee. He argued that international standards, such as the Mandela Rules, would call for house arrest rather than imprisonment for a 95-year-old accused of a non-violent offense. The charges, tied to ordinary political participation by members of a religious minority, "appear legally and conceptually overstretched," and the case fits 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 on the government of the Republic of Korea to immediately release Chairman Lee from custody.
