Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), alongside CAP Liberté de Conscience, FOREF, CESNUR, and Bitter Winter, convened a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club on August 7, 2026, to address mounting concerns over freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in South Korea. The event highlighted the cases of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation, both of whom are in pretrial detention. The organizations called on South Korean authorities to review these detentions, emphasizing the need for proportionality, humanitarian considerations, and due process.
The press conference underscored a broader pattern of religious freedom issues in the country, including ongoing harassment of Segero Church in Busan, questions about conscientious objection, public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation in educational settings. HRWF has documented the imprisonment of hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses as conscientious objectors, and despite the introduction of alternative civilian service, critics argue it is punitive, requiring 36 months of service in correctional facilities—twice the length of regular military service.
Hans Noot, Associate Director of HRWF, opened the conference by stating that the issues at stake "lie at the heart of democratic society," warning that when religious communities are stigmatized and dissent is contained, the consequences extend beyond any single group. He stressed that the conference was about defending the principle that fundamental rights apply equally to all.
Thierry Valle, President of CAP Liberté de Conscience, questioned the legality of Chairman Lee's detention under international law, referencing South Korea's ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1990 and the Convention against Torture in 1995. He argued that the presumption of innocence must prevail and cited precedents such as Cardinal Joseph Zen's release on bail in Hong Kong and Vietnam's house arrest of Buddhist Patriarch Thich Quang Do as more humane alternatives.
Michael Langhans, Executive Director of FOREF Germany, presented a legal analysis questioning the necessity of pretrial detention for Chairman Lee, given that evidence may already be sufficient for indictment. He raised concerns about whether the evidence was gathered neutrally or through a narrative framing the defendant's community as a "sect" or "cult," and whether measures meant to protect fair elections can be applied without nullifying the right to freedom of religion.
Márk Nemes, Deputy Director of CESNUR, discussed the effects of ongoing persecution on minority faiths, citing three recent scholarly investigations in Shincheonji congregations in Europe, Argentina, and Australia that found increased hostility toward the peaceful movement. He stressed that Shincheonji is a global religious movement, and the disproportionate persecution in South Korea affects congregants abroad, whose freedoms are protected under ICCPR Articles 18 and 19.
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, arguing that international standards like the Mandela Rules would call for house arrest rather than imprisonment for a 95-year-old accused of a non-violent offence. He described the charges as "legally and conceptually overstretched" and part of a broader pattern of pressure against minority faiths.
The organizations called on South Korean authorities, the media, and the international community to examine these developments with attention to due process, proportionality, and equal protection of fundamental rights. At the conclusion, the scholars signed an official letter urging the Government of the Republic of Korea to immediately release Chairman Lee from custody. For more details, the full proceedings are available on HRWF YouTube.
