On 29\nNovember, Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) from Italy and Human\nRights Without Frontiers (HRWF) from Belgium hosted a seminar on human rights\nentitled \u201cIntolerance and Discrimination Against New Religious Movements: An\nInternational Problem\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nseminar, held in Seoul, South Korea, was devoted to the protection of the\nrights of religious minorities targeted by the majority groups, particularly in\nthe context of anti-human rights situations such as the forced conversion that\noccurred in Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forced\nconversion, also known as \u201cDeprogramming\u201d, is a social issue that causes human\nrights violations by kidnapping and detaining the members of religious groups\nlabeled as \u201ccults\u201d by their opponents in order to compel them to abandon their\nfaith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More\nthan 80 participants including legal experts, journalists, and civil society\nrepresentatives reviewed the current situation of forced conversion and\ndiscussed solutions to defend the freedom of faith and human rights that have\nbecome the norm of the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Massimo\nIntrovigne, Managing Director of CESNUR as well as an Italian sociologist, stressed\nthat forced conversion is conducted through the mainstream by saying, \u201cKorean\ndeprogrammers are specialized pastors from the mainline churches, most of them\nPresbyterian.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The\nprotests that commemorate the victims from forced conversion were mentioned in\nthe 2019 U.S. State Department Report on Religious Freedom, including\nviolations of religious freedom in the year 2018. However, there were new cases\nof deprogramming even after their death,” he criticized. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding\nthe multi-dimensional strategy to solve such phenomenon, Willy Fautr\u00e9, Founder\nand Director of HRWF stated several suggestions; pointing at the responsibility\nof the leadership of the Presbyterian Church which tolerates, endorses, and\nmaybe encourages such a practice; developing advocacy at the UN and in organs\ndefending freedom of religion or belief; prosecuting those who encourage people\nto perpetrate an act of abduction and confinement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an\nopen letter, signed by 15 international NGOs including CAP-LC and HRWF, to the\nSouth Korean President Moon Jae In on July 24th<\/sup>, it said, \u201cSouth\nKorea may well be the last democratic country in the world where deprogramming\nis still tolerated\u201d and asked the President to \u201cinvestigate in-depth\naccusations of forcible deprogramming, put a stop to this obnoxious practice,\nand hold those responsible fully accountable.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, South Korea was elected to serve\nthe 5th term on the United Nations Human Rights Council on October 17th. South\nKorea\u2019s mission to the UN said that it plans \u201cto participate in the\ninternational efforts to respond to human rights crises around the world.\u201d\nParticipants urged the Korean government to respond to the issue of forced\nconversion which is still threatening the human rights of its people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"