International human rights organizations convened in Seoul on August 10 to voice concerns over freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in South Korea. The groups, including Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), FOREF, CESNUR, and Bitter Winter, held a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club to address what they describe as a troubling pattern of treatment toward religious minorities.
At the center of the discussion was the pretrial detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee. The organizations argue that detaining a non-violent, elderly religious leader raises questions of proportionality, humanitarian considerations, and due process. They called on South Korean authorities to review his detention and ensure that the legal response to religious minorities remains neutral and consistent with the country's international human-rights obligations. Similar concerns were raised regarding 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation, who remains under scrutiny.
The conference also highlighted ongoing issues affecting other minority groups. Segero Church in Busan has reportedly continued to face harassment and official scrutiny even after its pastor, Son Hyun-bo, was released from detention. Additionally, reports have drawn attention to conscientious objection problems, public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation challenges in educational settings. Over the decades, HRWF has documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses as conscientious objectors. While alternative civilian service was later introduced, critics argue it is implemented punitively, requiring 36 months of service in correctional facilities—twice the length of regular military service—and recent court decisions have upheld this system.
Hans Noot, Associate Director of HRWF, opened the conference by emphasizing that the issues at stake "lie at the heart of democratic society." He warned that when religious communities are stigmatized and peaceful gatherings are restricted, the consequences "extend far beyond any single group or case." Noot stressed that the conference was not about defending any particular theology but about defending the principle that fundamental rights apply equally to all.
Thierry Valle, President of CAP Liberté de Conscience, questioned the legality of Chairman Lee's detention under international law. Noting South Korea's ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1990 and the Convention against Torture in 1995, he asked whether placing a 95-year-old in pretrial detention aligns with those obligations. Valle argued that the presumption of innocence must prevail, and he cited precedents where democratic countries have used more humane measures, 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, presented a legal analysis questioning whether pretrial detention was necessary given that evidence may already suffice for an indictment. He also raised concerns about 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 a broader question for lawmakers: can measures meant to protect fair elections be applied without nullifying the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to freedom of religion?
Márk Nemes, Deputy Director of CESNUR, shared findings from three recent scholarly investigations in Shincheonji congregations in Europe, Argentina, and Australia. These studies found a worrying increase in hostility toward the otherwise peaceful religious movement. Nemes emphasized that Shincheonji is a global movement, and the 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, call for house arrest rather than imprisonment for a 95-year-old accused of a non-violent offence. The charges, tied to ordinary political participation by members of a religious minority, "appear legally and conceptually overstretched," he said, and fit a broader pattern of pressure against minority faiths.
The organizations urged 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.
