The detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Church chairman Lee Man-hee has drawn sharp criticism from European scholars of religion, who are calling on South Korean authorities to release him immediately. Lee was detained on June 24 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act, following allegations that he directed mass registration of church members into a political party. He was indicted on June 30.
At the Ninth Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe) in Rome on July 3, scholars presented papers on Shincheonji Church and addressed the recent developments. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist of religion and founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), stated: "In all European Union countries, legislation mandates that those older than 80 should only exceptionally be put in jail, and only for violent crimes. Here, there are no blood crimes, and the accusations are violations of electoral law. What Korea is doing is in violation of international law, including the UN's Mandela Rules."
Eric Roux, president of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), echoed these concerns: "A man of 95 years old being put in jail is not something you can reconcile with respecting human dignity. Even if what you pretend he has done is true, you would not put a man of this age in prison. This is very detrimental to the reputation of South Korea."
Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli, chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), expressed shock: "I always considered South Korea a true democracy where human rights are upheld. What's happening now is truly shocking. It looks like South Korea is departing from its own Constitution."
Shincheonji Church maintains that individual members freely participated in political activities and that Lee and the church have cooperated with the investigation. The church described the detention as a form of physical punishment for an elderly man.
The issue has also been raised at the United Nations. On May 25, international human rights organizations United for Human Rights and Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP-LC) submitted a joint statement to the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (Document No. A/HRC/62/NGO/236). The statement noted that framing members' registration with a political party as "religion–politics collusion" is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and urged the South Korean government to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion and non-discrimination.
Shincheonji Church emphasized that the detention has become an international human rights issue, with growing support and petitions from prominent figures. 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."
