Oral Statement on Chairman Lee Man-hee's Pretrial Detention in the Republic of Korea
Oct 1, 2026
The case of Chairman Lee Man-hee before the Human Rights Council
Sydney, New South Wales Sep 30, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - On 18 September 2026, CAP Freedom of Conscience delivered an oral statement during the general debate under Item 3 of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, devoted to the promotion and protection of all human rights.
The statement raises the case of Chairman Lee Man-hee, the 95-year-old founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus and a veteran of the Korean War, who is currently held in pretrial detention at the Seoul Detention Center in the Republic of Korea on non-violent charges.
CAP Freedom of Conscience expresses serious concern regarding what appears to be a politically driven and discriminatory investigation targeting a religious minority, as well as the 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's 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's international obligations: Article 9 of the ICCPR requires detention to be necessary and proportionate; Article 10 guarantees humane treatment; the Nelson Mandela Rules entitle detainees to healthcare equivalent to that available in the community; the Tokyo Rules make pretrial detention a measure of last resort; and Article 18 protects freedom of religion or belief -- 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 treaty obligations by offering alternatives to detention, allowing an independent medical assessment, and ensuring a fair and impartial trial.
Media Contact
CAP Liberté de Conscience (CAP LC)
117, Rue de Charenton, 75012 Paris, France
freedomofconscience.eu/cap-lc-contact
CAP LC Video (YouTube)
CAP LC's own video of the full oral statement, as published on its website.
youtube.com/watch?v=lFdF4cvfSqE
UN Web TV (Source)
The official UN recording of the General Debate session.
Source :CAP Freedom of Conscience, "Oral statement on the situation of Chairman Lee Man-hee in pretrial detention in the Republic of Korea", 18 September 2026. freedomofconscience.eu
This article was originally published by IssueWire. Read the original article here.
More News
Oklahoma Families Faced the Hottest Summer Ever and an Electricity Crisis
Record heat and a rising demand for electricity are closing in on Oklahoma families trying to keep the lights on and the AC running.
Sri Lankan writer Nifraz Rifaz’s debut novel confronts Islamophobia after Easter bombings
On September 22, after a five-year trial, 15 men from Sri Lanka’s minority Muslim community were convicted and sentenced to 200 to 260 years in prison each for their involvement in the 2019 Easter bombings. The coordinated suicide attacks on luxury hotels and Christian places of worship on April 21, 2019, remain one of the deadliest terror incidents in the island nation’s history, claiming more than 250 lives. While the devastation and subsequent investigations were covered widely in the global...
Gleaning group gives £1m of produce to food banks
Gleaning Cornwall warns that more funding is needed as costs rise sharply.
Planning A Long Trip? Here Are 51 Products That May Come In Handy
Lucky you! Now let's get you packed and ready. View Entire Post ›
What is the Budget and what could be in it?
Chancellor John Healey will set out his plans for UK taxes on 28 October.
If You’re A Bit Of A Chaos Traveler, You Need These 34 Products More Than Anyone
Come here, fellow walking messes. It's time to invest in a slim wallet tracker and some shoe bags for your dirty sneaks. View Entire Post ›
3 Charts That Explain the Economy as Voters Head to the Polls
Inflation is high, consumer spending is strong and seemingly everything depends on what happens with artificial intelligence.
United’s C.E.O. Says It Should Cost More Not to Sit in the Middle Seat
Scott Kirby of United Airlines said that “it’s expensive to fly airplanes” and that airfares may have further to rise.
With Michelin’s Green Star gone, Hong Kong seeks to redefine sustainable dining
David Toutain witnessed the birth of the Michelin Green Star in 2020. His eponymous restaurant in Paris was among the first to be awarded while Feuille, his Hong Kong outpost, secured one within a year of its 2023 opening. But even when Michelin quietly retired the award this year, he still never understood exactly how it was assessed. “I have no idea,” he says. “I don’t know the rules. I don’t know anything about it, to be very honest.” His confusion points to a larger problem. The Green Star...
‘Hong Kong would be impossible.’ Why the newest Fotografiska photo museum is in Shenzhen
Contemporary photography museum Fotografiska’s newest outpost in Shenzhen is strikingly different from its original venue in Stockholm, Sweden – in the former customs building on the Stadsgardshamnen waterfront – or its Shanghai location, which opened in 2023 inside the Guang San Warehouse. In Shenzhen, a technological metropolis where sleek high-rises and futuristic cultural venues continue to emerge, the museum integrates into the modern urban landscape with a crisp white rectangular facade...
Turning the tides: Could hidden sea power energise our coastal towns?
Engineer David Mummery has developed a tidal energy generator that he says can change lives for people living in coastal communities.
'I took a chance on the whisky industry and I haven't looked back'
Zoey Darnbrough had no idea there was a distillery near her home - now she has a top tourism role there.
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.