A European nongovernmental organization has escalated the case of a 95-year-old religious leader to the United Nations Human Rights Council, arguing that his pretrial detention in South Korea exposes a pattern of discrimination against a religious minority and breaches the country's binding international commitments. The intervention matters because it tests whether the UN's human rights machinery will hold a democratic state accountable for how it treats an elderly detainee on non-violent charges.
On 18 September 2026, CAP Freedom of Conscience delivered an oral statement during the general debate under Item 3 of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, devoted to the promotion and protection of all human rights. The statement raises the case of Chairman Lee Man-hee, the founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus and a veteran of the Korean War, who is currently held in pretrial detention at the Seoul Detention Center in the Republic of Korea on non-violent charges.
CAP Freedom of Conscience expressed serious concern regarding what appears to be a politically driven and discriminatory investigation targeting a religious minority, as well as the conditions of detention. Despite his fixed residence and the absence of any flight risk, Chairman Lee was held in cells without air conditioning during Seoul's most severe heatwave, raising grave concerns for the health of a 95-year-old detainee.
The statement recalls that such treatment runs counter to the Republic of Korea's international obligations. Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights requires detention to be necessary and proportionate; Article 10 guarantees humane treatment; the Nelson Mandela Rules entitle detainees to healthcare equivalent to that available in the community; the Tokyo Rules make pretrial detention a measure of last resort; and Article 18 protects freedom of religion or belief—a right CAP Freedom of Conscience considers disregarded in this case.
CAP Freedom of Conscience urges the Council to call on the Republic of Korea to honour its treaty obligations by offering alternatives to detention, allowing an independent medical assessment, and ensuring a fair and impartial trial. The organization's intervention places the case within the Council's broader scrutiny of civil and political rights, where findings can shape diplomatic pressure and influence how states justify the use of pretrial detention against religious figures.
CAP Liberté de Conscience is a European nongovernmental organization established in 1995 with United Nations ECOSOC consultative status. The organization works to protect freedom of religion or belief and raise awareness of discrimination affecting religious and belief communities.
SCJ is an abbreviation for Shincheonji. SCJ TV is the official broadcasting channel of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony. As a global media platform featuring worship, Bible education, teaching, and cultural content, SCJ TV aims to make its Bible-based teachings accessible to audiences worldwide, transcending geographical and linguistic boundaries. More information about the church is available at https://www.shincheonji.org/en, and its broadcasts can be accessed at https://www.scjtvglobal.com.
The implications extend beyond a single detention. If the Human Rights Council takes up the call, it could reinforce the principle that pretrial detention must be exceptional, particularly for the elderly and infirm. It also raises questions about whether domestic courts in South Korea will weigh international treaty standards when adjudicating cases involving minority faiths. For religious communities worldwide, the outcome may signal whether UN mechanisms can effectively shield believers from what they perceive as state overreach.
