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 since June 24 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act. The European Academy of Religion (EuARe), a non-profit academic network, addressed the issue during its Ninth Annual Conference in Rome on July 3, where scholars presented papers on Shincheonji and criticized the detention as a violation of international law.
Dr. Massimo Introvigne, a sociologist of religion and founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), stated that in European Union countries, those older than 80 are only exceptionally put in jail, and only for violent crimes. He noted that the accusations against Lee are violations of electoral law, not blood crimes. 'What Korea is doing to this elderly religious leader is in violation of international law, including the United Nations' Mandela Rules,' Introvigne said, calling the situation 'an unmitigated scandal' that hides a 'political and religious vendetta.'
Eric Roux, president of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), echoed this sentiment, stating that putting a 95-year-old in jail cannot be reconciled with human dignity. 'Even if what you pretend he has done is true, you would not put a man of this age in prison,' Roux said, urging a swift review to avoid damage to South Korea's reputation.
Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli, chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), expressed shock, saying he always considered South Korea a true democracy where human rights are upheld. 'What we're seeing now looks like South Korea is departing from its own Constitution, its own human rights foundation,' Amicarelli said, adding his support for Shincheonji's fight against abuse and persecution.
The Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters alleges that between July 2021 and January 2024, Lee directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a particular political party. Shincheonji Church responded that individual members freely participated in political activities and that both Lee and the church have cooperated throughout the investigation. The church expressed deep regret, stating that detaining a 95-year-old amounts to physical punishment.
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 on May 25, assessing that the situation has intensified in South Korea. They noted that framing members' political registration as 'religion–politics collusion' is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The statement also highlighted that in December 2025, the President ordered a joint police-prosecutor task force explicitly targeting Shincheonji, and senior officials have publicly referred to the church as a 'criminal organization,' incompatible with the presumption of innocence.
Shincheonji Church noted that support and petitions from international figures continue to grow, mounting pressure on the South Korean government and judiciary. The church emphasized that the prompt release of Chairman Lee is a matter of safeguarding freedom of religion and human rights, core values of democracy. For more information, visit Shincheonji official website or SCJ TV Global.
