International human rights organizations have expressed serious concerns over the state of freedom of religion and expression in South Korea, particularly focusing on the pretrial detention of elderly religious leaders. During a press conference held at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), CAP Liberté de Conscience, FOREF, CESNUR, and Bitter Winter jointly called on South Korean authorities to review the detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and to ensure that legal and administrative responses to religious minorities remain neutral, proportionate, and in line with international human rights standards.
The conference highlighted the case of 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation, as well as ongoing issues with Segero Church in Busan, where Pastor Son Hyun-bo reportedly continues to face harassment despite his release. These cases are part of a broader pattern of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) concerns in the country, including conscientious objection, public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation in educational settings.
Hans Noot, Associate Director of HRWF, opened the conference by stating that the issues at stake "lie at the heart of democratic society," warning that stigmatizing religious communities and restricting peaceful gatherings can have consequences that "extend far beyond any single group or case." He emphasized that the conference was about "defending a principle: that fundamental rights apply equally to all."
Thierry Valle, President of CAP Liberté de Conscience, questioned whether detaining a 95-year-old is consistent with South Korea's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture, which the country ratified in 1990 and 1995 respectively. He stressed that the presumption of innocence must prevail over any presumption of guilt, and cited 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 as examples of more proportionate measures.
Michael Langhans, Executive Director of FOREF Germany, presented a legal analysis questioning whether pretrial detention was necessary given that evidence might already be sufficient for an indictment, and whether that evidence was gathered neutrally. He argued that the case raises broader questions about whether measures meant to protect fair elections can be applied without nullifying the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to freedom of religion.
Márk Nemes, Deputy Director of CESNUR, shared findings from recent scholarly investigations in Shincheonji congregations in Europe, Argentina, and Australia, which revealed a worrisome increase in hostility toward the movement. He stressed that Shincheonji is a global religious movement, and that disproportionate persecution in South Korea affects the freedoms of its congregants abroad, which are protected under 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, arguing 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 offence. He described the charges as "legally and conceptually overstretched" and warned that 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.
The full proceedings of the press conference are available on HRWF YouTube. Additional articles in English and Korean can be found here.
