International human rights organization Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) has submitted a statement to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea raising concerns about freedom of religion and belief in the country and the detention of an elderly religious leader. The group said the detention of Shincheonji Church of Jesus chairman Lee Man-hee should be reviewed for compliance with international human rights standards on proportionality and humane treatment. Critics, however, have questioned whether it is appropriate for a foreign organization to challenge the case on grounds of religious freedom and human rights.
HRWF held a press conference Friday morning at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club in the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, arguing that legal and administrative measures affecting religious communities must be grounded in accurate information and international standards on freedom of religion and belief.
Hans Noot, deputy director of the organization, said the issue of religious communities being stigmatized for their beliefs or having peaceful assembly and expression restricted "does not stop at any particular group or individual case." He added, "What we are asking is whether fundamental rights are being applied fairly and equally to everyone."
Lee was indicted in June after being taken into custody on charges of directing church members to join the People Power Party en masse. A joint investigative team of prosecutors and police believes at least 56,000 members were enrolled in the party, and the court issued an arrest warrant at the time citing concerns about destruction of evidence. More recently, Lee was additionally indicted on charges of evading 7.5 billion won ($5.29 million) in taxes in violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.
HRWF stressed that its actions do not constitute support for any particular religion or doctrine, stating that "the detention of a very elderly person facing non-violent charges should be a last resort."
Noot said the group was "raising the issue in accordance with international human rights standards." After the press conference, HRWF submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission calling for the humanitarian release of the elderly detainee.
Critics argue, however, that it is inappropriate for a foreign organization to invoke religious freedom and human rights to challenge a case in which a suspect was charged with improper political conduct linked to a political party and detained through due legal process following a court-issued arrest warrant.
The National Human Rights Commission has not ruled out the possibility that the petition will be dismissed. An official at the commission said the detention "was ordered by a court and may not fall within the scope of investigations under the Human Rights Commission Act," adding that in such a case it could be dismissed by the subcommittee chair's approval alone, without being referred to the subcommittee.
The commission said it will first review the petition through standard procedures. The official explained that once a petition is received, it is assigned to the investigation division, where the responsible investigator conducts a written inquiry or interviews relevant parties. After the investigation, a report goes to the subcommittee, whose members deliberate on whether the case falls within the commission's jurisdiction under the Human Rights Commission Act and whether a human rights violation has occurred. "If the petition is upheld, a decision is sent to the parties involved; if dismissed, a dismissal notice is issued," the official said.
Meanwhile, the commission said the review period varies depending on the nature of the case and the investigator's workload, but typically takes at least three months, making a quick resolution unlikely.
jookapooka@heraldcorp.com
