SEOUL -- International human rights groups have called on South Korean authorities to review the detention of elderly religious leaders, warning that recent actions against minority faiths may violate the country's international human-rights commitments. During a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club, organizations including Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) and CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC) expressed concerns over the treatment of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation.
The groups argued that the pretrial detention of Chairman Lee, who faces charges linked to allegations of election interference, raises questions of proportionality, humanitarian considerations, and due process. They noted that South Korea ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1990 and the Convention against Torture in 1995, obligating the state to ensure fair treatment for all individuals. "Placing a 95-year-old in pretrial detention is inconsistent with those obligations," said Thierry Valle, President of CAP LC. He emphasized that the presumption of innocence must prevail over any presumption of guilt, citing precedents such as Cardinal Joseph Zen's release on bail in Hong Kong 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 whether pretrial detention was necessary given that evidence may already be sufficient for an indictment. He also asked whether the evidence was gathered neutrally or through a narrative framing the defendant's community as a "sect" or "cult." The case, he argued, raises broader questions about whether measures meant to protect fair elections can be applied without nullifying the constitutional right to freedom of religion.
The conference also highlighted other religious freedom concerns in South Korea, including ongoing scrutiny of Segero Church in Busan, public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and issues related to conscientious objection. HRWF has documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses for refusing military service. Although alternative civilian service was introduced, critics say it is punitive because it requires 36 months of service in correctional facilities, twice the length of regular military service.
Márk Nemes, Deputy Director of CESNUR, shared findings from recent scholarly investigations in Shincheonji congregations in Europe, Argentina, and Australia, which found a worrying increase in hostility toward the peaceful religious movement. He stressed that Shincheonji is a global movement, and disproportionate persecution in South Korea affects the freedoms of its members abroad, as protected under Articles 18 and 19 of the ICCPR.
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 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, "appear legally and conceptually overstretched," he said.
Hans Noot, Associate Director of HRWF, opened the conference by stating that the issues "lie at the heart of democratic society." He warned that when religious communities are stigmatized and dissent is treated as a problem, the consequences extend beyond any single case. The organizations called on South Korean authorities, the media, and the international community to examine these developments with attention to due process 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.
