European Scholars Urge Release of 95-Year-Old Shincheonji Leader

European scholars of religion are making strong appeals to the South Korean government to release Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old Chairman of Shincheonji Church, who remains in detention. Chairman Lee was detained on 24 June on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act and was indicted on 29 June. The Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters alleges that, between July 2021 and January 2024, he directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a particular political party. In response, Shincheonji Church stated that individual members freely participated in political activities and that both Chairman Lee and the church have faithfully cooperated throughout the entire investigation process, including the searches and seizures. The church also expressed deep regret, stating that detaining Chairman Lee, an elderly man aged 95, amounts in effect to a form of physical punishment.

The European Academy of Religion (EuARe), a non-profit academic network connecting scholars and institutions of religious studies across Europe, held its Ninth Annual Conference in Rome, Italy, on 3 July, where the circumstances surrounding Shincheonji Church were addressed. During the session titled 'Shincheonji, a Korean New Religion in Global Context,' European scholars of religion presented their respective academic papers on Shincheonji Church. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist of religion and the Founder and Managing Director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), commented that in all European Union countries, legislation mandates that those older than 80 should only exceptionally be put in jail, and only for violent crimes. He stated that what Korea is doing to this elderly religious leader is in violation of international law, including the United Nations' so-called Mandela Rules. Eric Roux, President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), reiterated the injustice of detaining an elderly person, calling for a swift review to avoid damage to South Korea's reputation. Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli expressed concern, citing South Korea's democratic tradition, and said that what is happening looks like South Korea is departing from its own Constitution and human rights foundation.

Shincheonji Church emphasized that the detention of Chairman Lee has gone beyond academic interest and is now being raised as an international human rights issue. The 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 written statement to the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 25 May. In the statement, the two organizations assessed that the situation has intensified in South Korea and noted that framing members' registration with a political party as evidence of 'religion–politics collusion' is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). They urged the Government of the Republic of Korea to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion, non-discrimination, and state neutrality. Shincheonji Church noted that support and petitions from prominent figures in the international community continue to grow, and the prompt release of Chairman Lee is a matter of safeguarding freedom of religion and human rights. SCJ TV, the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church, aims to make its Bible-based teachings accessible to audiences worldwide, transcending geographical and linguistic boundaries. For more information, visit the Shincheonji Church website at https://www.shincheonji.org/en or SCJ TV at https://www.scjtvglobal.com.