SEOUL, South Korea, 7 August 2026 — International human rights and religious freedom organisations have raised concerns over freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression and the treatment of elderly religious leaders in South Korea.
Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), together with CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), which holds ECOSOC-accredited status at the United Nations, FOREF, CESNUR and Bitter Winter, held a press conference today at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
The conference focused on concerns surrounding the treatment of religious minorities, particularly questions of due process, proportionality and humanitarian considerations in pretrial detention.
The organisations called on South Korean authorities to review the detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and ensure that legal and administrative measures affecting religious minorities remain neutral, proportionate and consistent with South Korea’s international human rights obligations. Similar concerns were raised regarding the treatment of 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation.
Broader concerns over religious freedom
Speakers said the cases form part of wider concerns about freedom of religion or belief in South Korea.
These include the situation of Segero Church in Busan, which has reportedly continued to face harassment and official scrutiny following the release of Pastor Son Hyun-bo from detention.
Other issues raised included conscientious objection, public opposition to a mosque project in Daegu and religious accommodation in educational settings.
HRWF has also documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea for conscientious objection over several decades. Although alternative civilian service was later introduced, critics argue that the system remains punitive rather than a genuine rights-respecting alternative. Among the concerns is the requirement of 36 months of service in correctional facilities—twice the length of regular military service. Recent court decisions have upheld key features of the system against constitutional challenges.
“Fundamental rights apply equally to all”
Opening the conference, Hans Noot, Associate Director of HRWF, said the issues at stake “lie at the heart of democratic society.”
He warned that when religious communities are stigmatized, peaceful gatherings are restricted and dissent is treated as a problem to be contained, the consequences “extend far beyond any single group or case.”
Noot stressed that the conference was not about defending any particular theology or movement, but about “defending a principle: that fundamental rights apply equally to all.”
Questions over Chairman Lee’s detention
Thierry Valle, President of CAP Liberté de Conscience, addressed the legality of Chairman Lee’s detention under international law.
He referred to South Korea’s ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1990 and the Convention against Torture in 1995, questioning whether placing a 95-year-old man in pretrial detention is consistent with these international obligations.
Valle stressed that the presumption of innocence must prevail over any presumption of guilt.
He argued that democratic countries have alternative, more proportionate and humane measures that can protect both the legal process and human dignity. He cited examples including Cardinal Joseph Zen’s release on bail in Hong Kong in 2022 and Vietnam’s decision to place Buddhist Patriarch Thich Quang Do under house arrest rather than in prison.
Concerns over necessity and neutrality
Michael Langhans, Executive Director of FOREF Germany, presented a legal analysis questioning whether pretrial detention was necessary in Chairman Lee’s case, given that authorities had already gathered evidence they considered sufficient for an indictment.
He also questioned whether the evidence had been gathered and assessed neutrally, rather than within a narrative that characterised the Shincheonji community as a “sect” or “cult.”
Langhans said the case raises a broader question for lawmakers: Can measures intended to protect fair elections be applied without undermining the constitutionally and internationally protected right to freedom of religion?
Impact on Shincheonji members worldwide
Márk Nemes, Deputy Director of CESNUR, discussed the potential impact of ongoing pressure against Shincheonji on religious minorities beyond South Korea.
He referred to three recent scholarly investigations involving selected Shincheonji congregations in Europe, Argentina and Australia, which he said found a concerning increase in hostility toward the religious movement.
Nemes stressed that Shincheonji is not simply a South Korean minority church, but a global religious movement with congregations around the world.
He argued that developments in South Korea can therefore have consequences for members abroad, including their ability to freely express and practise their faith. He referred to the protections provided under Articles 18 and 19 of the ICCPR, which safeguard freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression.
“A worrying line”
Massimo Introvigne, Managing Director of CESNUR and Editor-in-Chief of Bitter Winter, said South Korea “has crossed a worrying line” by arresting Chairman Lee.
He argued that international standards, including the Mandela Rules, would favour a measure such as house arrest rather than imprisonment for a 95-year-old accused of a non-violent offence.
Introvigne also questioned the scope of the charges against Chairman Lee, saying they appear to involve ordinary political participation by members of a religious minority and are “legally and conceptually overstretched.”
He warned that the case should be viewed within a broader pattern of pressure against minority faiths in South Korea.
Call for due process and equal protection
The organisations called on South Korean authorities, the media and the international community to closely examine developments in South Korea, with particular attention to due process, proportionality and the equal protection of fundamental rights.
They also made further documentation available to support continued reporting and examination of the issues raised.
At the conclusion of the press conference, the scholars in attendance signed an official letter calling on the Government of the Republic of Korea to immediately release Chairman Lee from custody.
