The detention of Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old Chairman of Shincheonji Church, has drawn sharp criticism from European scholars of religion who argue that holding an elderly person on non-violent charges breaches international legal standards and undermines South Korea's democratic credibility. Lee was detained on June 24 on charges including violations of the Political Parties Act and indicted on June 29, following allegations that he directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a political party between July 2021 and January 2024. Shincheonji Church has maintained that members freely participated in political activities and that both Lee and the church cooperated with the investigation, expressing regret that detaining a 95-year-old constitutes a form of physical punishment.
At the Ninth Annual Conference of the European Academy of Religion (EuARe) held in Rome on July 3, scholars addressed the situation in a session titled "Shincheonji, a Korean New Religion in Global Context." Dr. Massimo Introvigne, sociologist of religion and founder of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), noted that in European Union countries, legislation generally mandates house arrest for those over 80, even for violent crimes, and only in exceptional cases. "Here, of course, there are no blood crimes, and the accusations are violations of electoral law," he said, adding that the actions violate United Nations' Mandela Rules, which stipulate that preliminary detention should be the exception rather than the rule for elderly prisoners. He called the situation "an unmitigated scandal" that masks a "political and religious vendetta."
Eric Roux, president of the European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF), echoed these concerns, stating that imprisoning a 95-year-old is irreconcilable with human dignity. "Even if what you pretend he has done is true, you would not put a man of this age in prison as is the case now," he said, urging a swift review to avoid damaging South Korea's reputation. Human rights lawyer Alessandro Amicarelli, chairman of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB), expressed shock, saying he had always considered South Korea a true democracy where human rights are foundational. "What's happening now is truly shocking... it looks like South Korea is departing from its own Constitution, its own human rights foundation," he said, adding his support for Shincheonji in its fight against abuse and persecution.
The case has escalated beyond academic circles into a broader international human rights concern. The 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 (Document No. A/HRC/62/NGO/236), assessing that the situation has intensified in South Korea. They argued that framing members' political registration as "religion–politics collusion" is inconsistent with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees every citizen the right to participate in political life. The statement also criticized the creation of a joint police–prosecutor task force explicitly targeting Shincheonji and public references to the church as a "criminal organization," which they said violate the presumption of innocence. They urged the South Korean government to reaffirm its commitment to freedom of religion, non-discrimination, and state neutrality.
Shincheonji Church noted that growing support and petitions from the international community are mounting pressure on South Korean authorities. The church emphasized that the prompt release of Chairman Lee is essential for safeguarding freedom of religion and human rights, which are core values of democracy. As the situation unfolds, European scholars and human rights advocates continue to call for Lee's release, warning that his continued detention could have lasting consequences for South Korea's international standing.
