European scholars of religion and human rights advocates are intensifying calls for 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 political party registration violations. The detention, they argue, not only contravenes international legal standards but also tarnishes South Korea's standing as a democracy committed to human rights.
Chairman Lee was indicted on June 29 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act. The Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters alleges that between July 2021 and January 2024, Lee directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a particular political party. In response, Shincheonji Church has maintained that individual members freely participated in political activities and that both Lee and the church have cooperated fully with the investigation, including searches and seizures. The church expressed deep regret, stating that detaining a 95-year-old man amounts to a form of physical punishment.
The issue gained international attention during the Ninth Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe), held in Rome, Italy, on July 3. During a session titled "Shincheonji, a Korean New Religion in Global Context," scholars presented academic papers on the church and discussed the recent developments in South Korea. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, sociologist of religion and Founder and Managing Director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), stated: "In all European Union countries, legislation mandates that those older than 80, only exceptionally, should be put in jail; they should be under house arrest if needed, and only for violent crimes, if there is a risk of actual violence connected with blood crimes. Here, of course, there are no blood crimes, and the accusations are violations of electoral law." He further asserted that what Korea is doing "is in violation of international law, including the United Nations' so-called Mandela Rules," which stipulate that preliminary detention should be exceptional, especially for elderly prisoners. He called the situation "an unmitigated scandal, which hides a political and religious vendetta."
Eric Roux, President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), echoed these sentiments, remarking, "A man of 95 years old being put in jail is not something that you can reconcile with the objective of respecting human dignity. Even if what you pretend he has done is true, you would not put a man of this age in prison as is the case now." He urged a swift review to avoid damage to South Korea's reputation.
Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli, a solicitor in England and Wales and barrister in Italy, expressed shock given South Korea's democratic tradition. "As a human rights lawyer, I always considered South Korea a true democracy where human rights are upheld like a foundation of the democracy. Unfortunately, what's happening now is truly shocking," he said. He added that detaining a religious leader at age 95 under such pressure suggests South Korea is departing from its own Constitution and human rights foundations.
The international dimension is further highlighted by a joint written statement submitted to the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on May 25 by the organizations United for Human Rights and Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP-LC). The statement, circulated on June 10 (Document No. A/HRC/62/NGO/236), assessed that "the situation has intensified" in South Korea and argued that framing members' political party registration as "religion–politics collusion" is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The organizations noted that in December 2025, the President ordered the creation of a joint police–prosecutor task force explicitly targeting Shincheonji, and that senior officials have publicly referred to the church as a "criminal organization," which they said is incompatible with the presumption of innocence. They urged the South Korean government to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion, non-discrimination, and state neutrality.
Shincheonji Church emphasized that the detention has evolved into an international human rights issue, with support and petitions from prominent figures growing. 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." As the debate continues, the pressure on the South Korean government and judiciary mounts, with observers watching to see whether the country will uphold its democratic principles or face further international criticism.
