Geneva, Switzerland: An international religious freedom organisation has raised concerns before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) over what it describes as growing discrimination against members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, urging governments to base administrative and judicial decisions on verifiable evidence rather than public perception.
The concerns were contained in a joint written statement submitted to the 68th Session of the UN Human Rights Council by the Coordination des Associations et Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC), an international non-governmental organisation with Special Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
According to the statement, CAP LC cautioned that negative perceptions and unverified information originating from South Korea could influence administrative decisions and judicial proceedings in other countries if not carefully scrutinised.
The organisation urged governments to ensure that any decisions concerning the Shincheonji Church of Jesus are grounded in objective evidence and clear legal principles.
In its statement, CAP LC argued that the issue extends beyond a single religious organisation and raises broader questions about how states protect the rights of religious minorities.
The organisation warned that allowing stigma against one faith community to gain international acceptance could create precedents affecting other minority religious groups.
The statement also referenced cases in the United Kingdom and German-speaking countries, where it claimed members of Shincheonji Church had experienced workplace discrimination and administrative challenges linked to negative public perceptions.
In the United Kingdom, CAP LC pointed to the rejection of the church’s application for charitable registration, noting that the description of the organisation as a “cult” lacked a clear legal definition. It argued that the use of such terminology in official administrative processes could contribute to social stigma.
The statement further cited reports from Germany and neighbouring countries alleging that church members had experienced discrimination in employment and wider society following negative media coverage and publications critical of the church.
South Korea investigation highlighted
CAP LC also expressed concern over an ongoing investigation in South Korea involving Shincheonji Church Chairman Lee Man-hee.
The organisation criticised suggestions that political participation by members of the church should automatically be viewed as evidence of inappropriate collaboration between religion and politics. It called on South Korean authorities to uphold constitutional guarantees relating to freedom of religion, non-discrimination and state neutrality toward religious groups.
According to the statement, Lee was arrested following investigations into alleged violations of South Korea’s Political Parties Act.
While acknowledging that the legal process remains ongoing, Shincheonji Church said the matter should be determined through due process and objective evidence rather than public opinion or political pressure.
The church also questioned the necessity of Lee’s continued detention, noting his advanced age and arguing that investigators had already secured key evidence through searches and seizures.
Church welcomes international attention
In a statement accompanying the UN submission, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus welcomed CAP LC’s intervention, saying it demonstrated that concerns surrounding the church had become an international human rights issue rather than remaining solely a domestic matter in South Korea.
The church maintained that governments and courts should assess religious organisations based on legal standards and verifiable facts while ensuring equal protection for all religious minorities.
It argued that the outcome of the ongoing proceedings could have wider implications for the protection of religious freedom globally.
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, is a Christian religious movement founded in South Korea by Lee Man-hee in 1984. The church has attracted both rapid international growth and significant controversy, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, when it faced intense scrutiny from South Korean authorities and media.
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