Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
July 11, 2026
European Scholars Urge Release of Elderly Shincheonji Leader
TLDR
- International pressure on South Korea to release Shincheonji's elderly leader exposes potential leverage for religious freedom advocacy.
- European scholars cite the Mandela Rules and EU law to argue that detaining a 95-year-old for non-violent electoral violations is unjust.
- Detaining a 95-year-old religious leader violates human dignity and international law, undermining South Korea's democratic reputation.
- European scholars and human rights experts unite to demand the release of Shincheonji's 95-year-old chairman, citing international law.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because it highlights a potential violation of international human rights standards by a democratic nation. The detention of a 95-year-old religious leader on non-violent charges raises concerns about freedom of religion, the presumption of innocence, and the treatment of the elderly in the justice system. If South Korea fails to address these concerns, it risks damaging its reputation as a democracy that upholds human rights, which could affect its international relations and the rights of religious minorities worldwide.
Summary
European scholars of religion are urgently appealing to the South Korean government to release Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old Chairman of Shincheonji Church, who has been detained since June 24 on charges of violating the Political Parties Act. The Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters alleges that Lee directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a political party between July 2021 and January 2024. Shincheonji Church asserts that members freely participated in political activities and that both Lee and the church have fully cooperated with the investigation, calling the detention of an elderly man a form of physical punishment.
At the Ninth Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe) in Rome, scholars condemned the detention. Dr. Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist of religion, noted that European Union laws mandate that those over 80 should only be jailed exceptionally for violent crimes, and that South Korea's actions violate international law, including the UN's Mandela Rules. Eric Roux, President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), stated that putting a 95-year-old in jail cannot be reconciled with human dignity. Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli called the situation unthinkable in a democratic country, warning that South Korea is departing from its own Constitution.
International human rights organizations, including United for Human Rights and Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP-LC), submitted a joint statement to the UN Human Rights Council, criticizing the framing of political party registration as 'religion–politics collusion' and urging South Korea to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion. Shincheonji Church emphasized that the detention has become an international human rights issue, with growing support for Lee's release. The church operates SCJ TV, the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which offers Bible-based teachings globally. For more information, visit https://www.shincheonji.org/en or https://www.scjtvglobal.com.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by 24-7 Press Release. Read the original source here, European Scholars Urge Release of Elderly Shincheonji Leader
