Statement from Pastor Dr. Mark Burns on the Sentencing of 83 year old religious leader, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon
I am deeply disturbed by the sentencing of Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon by the Seoul Central District Court in South Korea.
As a pastor, an international advocate for religious freedom, and Founder and Chairman of Spiritual Diplomats, I believe this case raises serious concerns about the treatment of religious leaders and religious institutions in South Korea.
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon is an internationally recognized religious leader whose ministry and work have reached millions of people around the world. Whatever political disagreements may exist, governments must be extremely careful that criminal law is never used in a way that becomes a weapon against religious leadership, religious organizations, or people of faith.
The freedom to worship, to organize, to speak, and to participate in the public life of a nation without fear of government persecution is a fundamental human right.
When an 83-year-old religious leader is sentenced to prison under circumstances that her church strongly disputes and intends to appeal, the international religious freedom community has a responsibility to pay attention.
I am calling upon the government and judicial authorities of the Republic of Korea to ensure that Dr. Han receives full due process, a fair and transparent appeals process, and treatment that respects both her human dignity and her religious freedom.
I also call upon religious leaders around the world, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and people of every faith tradition, to stand together whenever religious liberty is threatened.
Religious freedom cannot depend upon whether we agree with another person's theology.
You do not have to share someone's beliefs to defend their right to believe them.
Spiritual Diplomats stands against religious persecution anywhere in the world. We will continue to speak for people of faith whose fundamental freedoms are threatened, regardless of denomination, religion, nationality, or political affiliation.
South Korea is an important democracy and a valued friend of the United States. Precisely because of that friendship, we must be willing to speak openly when actions raise serious questions about religious liberty and fundamental human rights.
I stand with Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon in calling for justice, due process, religious freedom, and the protection of her fundamental human rights.
Pastor Dr. Mark Burns
Founder & Chairman
@SpiritDiplomats
https://t.co/wAjG3nMDhh
Spiritual Advisor to President Donald J. Trump
South Korea’s backsliding on religious freedom should be concerning to everyone. The miscarriage of justice in the case of Dr. Hak Ja Han alarmingly shows that its judicial system is failing to live up to democratic standards
Dr. Han, the 83-year old leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, has been convicted in a case where the allegations against her came from a disgruntled and disgraced former church officer who had already been expelled from the Family Federation. She has serious health issues and no criminal history but is being treated like a hardened criminal.
Perhaps most alarming in all of this are the reports that the Chinese Communist Party, no friend to religious freedom or other democratic values, is partially behind this and other persecutions by supporting the groups advocating for the prosecutions. Dr. Han’s family and the church are well known for their anti-communist crusades and South Korea should protect against CCP influences in its legal system.
It is a travesty of justice that Dr. Han has been convicted. I hope the courts will consider her health and allow her to stay out of prison while her appeal is being considered.
[BREAKING} Statement from 70th Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the Sentencing of Dr. Hak Ja Han
"The sentencing of religious leader Dr. Hak Ja Han to two years in prison is deeply troubling for anyone who cares about religious liberty and free expression. The evidence suggests that Dr. Han was targeted for her religious and political beliefs.
Dr. Han has never been charged with so much as a parking ticket in her life, yet has already been detained for nearly a year in terrible conditions despite her advanced age and health problems.
This is a betrayal of South Korea’s hard-won democratic values. I pray that the government of South Korea reconsiders this case on appeal and does not go further down the path of religious persecution."