The case of Chairman Lee Man-hee before the Human Rights Council
\nOn 18 September 2026, CAP Freedom of Conscience delivered an oral statement during the
\ngeneral debate under Item 3 of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, devoted to
\nthe promotion and protection of all human rights. The statement raises the case of Chairman Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old founder and leader
\nof the Shincheonji Church of Jesus and a veteran of the Korean War, who is currently held in
\npretrial detention at the Seoul Detention Center in the Republic of Korea on non-violent
\ncharges. CAP Freedom of Conscience expresses serious concern regarding what appears to be a
\npolitically driven and discriminatory investigation targeting a religious minority, as well as
\nthe 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\u2019s 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\u2019s
\ninternational obligations: Article 9 of the ICCPR requires detention to be necessary and
\nproportionate; Article 10 guarantees humane treatment; the Nelson Mandela Rules entitle
\ndetainees to healthcare equivalent to that available in the community; the Tokyo Rules make
\npretrial detention a measure of last resort; and Article 18 protects freedom of religion or
\nbelief \u2014 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
\ntreaty obligations by offering alternatives to detention, allowing an independent medical
\nassessment, and ensuring a fair and impartial trial. Media Contact<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The case of Chairman Lee Man-hee before the Human Rights Council On 18 September 2026,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1212","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international"],"yoast_head":"\n