European Scholars Urge South Korea to Release 95-Year-Old Church Leader

In a dramatic escalation of international pressure, European scholars and human rights advocates are urging South Korea to release 95-year-old Shincheonji Church Chairman Lee Man-hee, 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 counters that members freely participated in political activities and that Lee has cooperated fully with the investigation, calling his detention a form of physical punishment due to his advanced age.

The European Academy of Religion (EuARe) addressed the case at its Ninth Annual Conference in Rome on July 3, where sociologist Dr. Massimo Introvigne stated that detaining an elderly person over non-violent allegations violates international law, including the UN's Mandela Rules. Eric Roux, president of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom, called the detention incompatible with human dignity, while human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli described it as unthinkable in a democratic country. These voices reflect a growing consensus that the case threatens South Korea's reputation as a democracy upholding human rights.

Further amplifying the concern, international organizations United for Human Rights and CAP LC submitted a joint statement to the UN Human Rights Council on May 25, arguing that treating political party registration by church members as evidence of religion-politics collusion violates the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. They also noted that a joint police-prosecutor task force was created in December 2025 explicitly targeting Shincheonji, with senior officials publicly labeling the church a 'criminal organization,' undermining the presumption of innocence. Shincheonji Church warns that mounting international support for Lee's release is increasing pressure on the South Korean government and judiciary, framing the case as a critical test for freedom of religion and human rights.