International scrutiny regarding South Korea’s legal proceedings against minority religious groups reached a new high during the Ninth Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe) held in Rome. European scholars of religion and legal experts voiced strong appeals demanding the immediate release of 95-year-old Chairman Lee Man-hee of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, who remains in detention on charges involving the Political Parties Act.
The session titled "Shincheonji, a Korean New Religion in Global Context" provided a platform for prominent international figures to assess South Korea's actions through the lens of international law and universal human rights standards.
Direct Appeals from European Scholars and Legal Experts
During the conference, leading experts expressed grave concerns that detaining a 95-year-old individual over non-violent allegations breaches fundamental international legal frameworks.
Dr. Massimo Introvigne (Founder & Managing Director of CESNUR):
Dr. Introvigne emphasized that within EU countries, putting individuals over 80 in custody is restricted to rare exceptions involving violent crimes. He stated:
"What Korea is doing to this elderly religious leader is in violation of international law, including the United Nations' Mandela Rules, which mandate that preliminary detention should be, in general, not the rule... So what is happening is an unmitigated scandal, which hides a political and religious vendelta."
Eric Roux (President of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom):
Highlighting the moral and reputational implications for South Korea, Mr. Roux remarked:
"A man of 95 years old being put in jail is not something that you can reconcile with the objective of respecting human dignity... Get that man out of jail and do it now to avoid something that would be very detrimental to the reputation of South Korea."
Alessandro Amicarelli (Chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief):
Speaking from a legal standpoint, human rights lawyer Amicarelli expressed alarm over South Korea’s departure from its democratic principles:
"As a human rights lawyer, I always considered South Korea a true democracy where human rights are upheld... It looks like South Korea is departing from its own Constitution, its own human rights foundation."
Escalation to the United Nations
The concerns raised in Rome build upon recent joint submissions to the United Nations. International human rights organizations, including United for Human Rights and CAP-LC, formally submitted a written statement (Document No. A/HRC/62/NGO/236) to the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
The statement explicitly highlighted that framing members' voluntary political registration as "religion-politics collusion" contradicts the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). It further cautioned against official rhetoric that labels minority groups as "criminal organizations," noting such actions undermine the presumption of innocence guaranteed under democratic rule.
Protecting Democratic Legitimacy Through Due Process
As academic institutions and international NGOs step up their advocacy, global attention remains focused on whether South Korea's judicial authorities will heed these warnings. The consensus among international experts is clear: safeguarding freedom of religion and ensuring fair, proportional treatment for elderly individuals are not merely local issues, but core obligations essential to maintaining South Korea’s standing as a respected democratic nation.
Source: https://vo.la/Fuqks9I
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