International Desk

The detention of 95-year-old religious leader Chairman Lee Man-hee of Shincheonji Church is damaging South Korea’s international reputation, according to a joint appeal by European scholars of religion.

The appeal was made during the European Academy of Religion’s international conference held in Rome recently.

Scholars at the conference called on the South Korean government to release Chairman Lee, citing concerns over possible violations of international law and human rights in the case of an elderly religious leader.

According to a press release from SCJ TV, Chairman Lee was detained on June 24, 2026, by the Joint Police–Prosecution Investigation Headquarters. He was indicted on June 29, 2026, on allegations of violating the Political Parties Act.

Authorities allege that between July 2021 and January 2024, Chairman Lee directed the mass registration of approximately 50,000 church members into a specific political party.

Shincheonji Church said individual members participated in political activities of their own free will. The church also stated that Chairman Lee and the organization have fully cooperated with all phases of the investigation, including search and seizure operations.

In its statement, the church expressed deep regret over the detention of a 95-year-old individual, saying that continued physical confinement effectively amounts to physical punishment.

European religious scholars who signed the joint appeal in Rome raised strong concerns over the case, arguing that the detention of an advanced-age religious figure raises broader questions of human rights and religious freedom.

The SCJ TV report includes a case timeline, legal details, an image and caption from the appeal in Rome, and statements from both the church and international academics.