Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF), together with CAP Liberté de Conscience, FOREF, CESNUR, and Bitter Winter, held a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club on August 7, 2026, to address concerns about freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression in South Korea. The organizations called on South Korean authorities to review the pretrial detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and to ensure that legal and administrative responses to religious minorities remain neutral and proportionate.
The press conference highlighted issues including the treatment of elderly religious leaders in pretrial detention, with questions raised about proportionality, humanitarian considerations, and due process. The speakers also pointed to ongoing concerns about the Segero Church in Busan, which has reportedly faced continued harassment despite Pastor Son Hyun-bo's release, and broader issues such as conscientious objection, hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation in educational settings.
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 stigmatizing religious communities and restricting peaceful gatherings have consequences beyond any single group. He emphasized that the conference was about defending the principle that fundamental rights apply equally to all.
Thierry Valle, President of CAP Liberté de Conscience, questioned whether detaining a 95-year-old is consistent with South Korea's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture, citing precedents like Cardinal Joseph Zen's release on bail in Hong Kong and Vietnam's house arrest of Buddhist Patriarch Thich Quang Do.
Michael Langhans, Executive Director of FOREF Germany, presented a legal analysis questioning the necessity of pretrial detention for Chairman Lee, arguing that the case raises broader questions about whether measures to protect fair elections can be applied without nullifying the right to freedom of religion. Márk Nemes, Deputy Director of CESNUR, noted recent scholarly investigations in Europe, Argentina, and Australia that found worrisome increases in hostility toward Shincheonji congregations abroad, stressing that the persecution in South Korea affects global followers.
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 such as the Mandela Rules would call for house arrest for a 95-year-old accused of a non-violent offence. He described the charges as "legally and conceptually overstretched."
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 of the press conference, the scholars signed an official letter calling for Chairman Lee's immediate release.
