FFWPU Europe and Middle East: S Korea's 1970s Czech Communist Persecution of Religion

Left: Some of the members who were imprisoned in Czechoslovakia during crackdown by Communist authorities in 1973-1974. In the middle, are the prison photos of Marie Živná, who died while in prison. Photo: Screenshot from “The Struggle for Truth and Justice” Right: Artistic impression of Mother Han in detention cell. Illustration: Grok xAI

South Korea’s treatment of Mother Han in long-term detention today shows echoes of communist-era repression in East Europe

Dr. Juraj Lajda, an early member of the Unification Church in the former Czechoslovakia, writes for News and Insights from Prague November 2025,

“In 1973 the persecution of the Unification Church members started. The communist secret police started to observe us and in September 1973 the first members were arrested. Within several weeks almost 30 members were put into prison.Now, about 50 years later, something I never thought possible is taking place. In a democratic and free country, Mother Han, the Co-Founder of the Family Federation, has been detained for more than 60 days and goes through similar trials and difficulties that I myself and many Dr. Juraj Lajda, Photo (2024) others suffered under the anti-religious communists in what was then Czechoslovakia.

At that time 18 members were sentenced to terms ranging from one year to four years and four months. I myself was in prison for three years and two months.

See also 18 Survived Years in Communist Prison, 1 Did Not

See also Tribute to Victim of Despotic Communist Regime

We experienced a similar humiliation and persecution as True Mother does now. At first, they put us in custody. Every day, they interrogated us for 6-7 hours. This lasted for three months until the case was closed, and the file was submitted to the judge. We were held in a 2×3 m cell, with two or three other prisoners. In communist prison for 3 years and 2 months: Juraj Lajda, here Our national leader at the time, Betka Danišková, was taken into in the early 1970s custody even though she had previously been in a very serious car accident. Her health condition was very serious, she had problems with her spine, could not move properly and her condition required medical care. Despite all this, she was taken into custody and interrogated. For a whole month, she refused to testify due to health problems, which the investigator had to accept, even though he constantly urged her to participate in the interrogation.

After a year of investigation, the final appeal court was held. The judge promised her a suspension of her sentence and time to recover. However, nothing of the sort happened. Finally, she spent 4 years and 4 months in prison.

As members, we were aware of her health condition and knew that she needed medical care. During the trial, some members asked the judge, to her dismay, if they could serve the sentence imposed on Betka themselves so that she could be released.

But these are the ways of communist and totalitarian regimes. No respect for human life.

In 1948, the communists came to power in the former Czechoslovakia. The first thing they did was to persecute and liquidate believers and religious people, political opponents, and any opponents whatsoever.

Our lawyers were surprised why we were being held in custody. During the investigation, they realized that we would not escape punishment. It was only a matter of the severity of the punishment.

The entire trial was staged with the clear intention of destroying our group. That was the assignment, and the prosecutors and judges proceeded accordingly.

After the fall of communism, all charges were dropped, and we In communist prison 4 years and were recognized innocent.” 4 months, despite serious health condition: Alžbeta (Betka) Reading Dr. Juraj Lajda’s account of the 1970s - long Danišková, here in February interrogations, custody despite serious illness, predetermined 2024 verdicts, and a judicial process used to “destroy” a religious group - one is struck by how specific techniques of repression recur across time and regimes. Comparing that account to the recent, widely discussed situation involving prolonged interrogation of Hak Ja Han and other religious figures in South Korea highlights several worrying similarities, even as important differences between a communist police state and a modern constitutional democracy should be kept in view.

First, the tactic of long, exhausting interrogation as a means of pressure appears in both narratives. Lajda reports daily sessions of six to seven hours for months - an approach aimed at breaking down resistance, gathering statements that can be shaped into charges, and signaling the state’s dominance. Recent reports describe unreasonable long hours of questioning by special prosecutors in South Korea. Regardless of legal framework or Detained long-term in South labels attached to the investigating body, prolonged interrogation Korea: Pastor Son Hyun-bo, here wears on the human body and mind and can create the conditions Aug. 2025 for coerced or unreliable statements. The method’s psychological effect - humiliation, exhaustion, isolation - is itself a tool that, in both accounts, serves to intimidate not only individuals but an entire community.

Second, both accounts feature the targeting of vulnerable or medically fragile individuals. Lajda emphasizes Betka Danišková’s fragile health - a prior car accident, spinal problems, inability to move easily - and how those vulnerabilities were ignored or overridden by the authorities, resulting in a lengthy prison term despite promises to the contrary.

The parallel with Mother Han’s repeated movement in a wheelchair after surgeries brings the same ethical question into relief: how does a justice system respond when those it prosecutes are in poor health? In the Czechoslovak account, medical need was subordinated to the objective of punishment. If similar disregard is present in South Korea - through prolonged detention or repeated, strenuous procedures imposed on someone with known health limitations - the similarity is not in legal form but in human cost.

Third, the specter of preordained verdicts and instrumentalized trials forming part of a broader political assignment binds the two stories. Lajda recalls that their lawyers realized early on that the outcome was foreordained: “it was only a matter of the severity of the punishment.” The trial was “staged with the clear

intention of destroying our group.” In contemporary contexts, citizens often interpret aggressive investigation and sustained public prosecutors’ activity against prominent figures as politically animated if there is a perception that prosecutorial zeal is selective. Even in democracies, when prosecutorial processes appear directed toward a preconceived outcome - particularly when cases involve public figures or religious leaders - perceptions of instrumentalized justice can arise and erode public trust.

Fourth, both situations involve the use of legal institutions to regulate or punish religion and religious actors. Under communism, repression of religious groups was explicit state policy; in Lajda’s telling, the first acts of the new regime were to “persecute and liquidate believers.”

In a democratic setting the legal basis for action against religious actors is more likely to be framed as rule-of-law enforcement - tax, fraud, or other statutory violations. But the function can appear similar when enforcement disproportionately targets a religious movement or its leadership and when the legal process is experienced by adherents as persecution. The distinction between legitimate law enforcement and persecution can blur when procedures are opaque, when outcomes seem prearranged, and when the rhetoric surrounding investigations is charged. Alžbeta (Betka) Danišková. Photo (2023) In sum, Dr. Lajda’s testimony and the contemporary allegations share troubling motifs: prolonged interrogation as a pressure tactic, apparent disregard for the health and vulnerability of detainees, and the experience that courts and prosecutions can function as instruments of group suppression.

Those parallels are meaningful because they highlight how procedural details - hours of questioning, detention decisions, medical accommodations, and the transparency of legal process - shape whether justice feels impartial or punitive. At the same time, important structural differences remain between a one-party authoritarian state and a democratic society; preserving those democratic safeguards requires a vigilant civil society, independent courts, and institutions willing to investigate alleged abuses of prosecutorial power.

Died in communist prison under See also 18 Survived Years in Communist Prison, 1 Did Not mysterious circumstances: Marie Živná. Photo (1973) See also Tribute to Victim of Despotic Communist Regime

Testimony by Dr. Juraj Lajda, additional text by Knut Holdhus, editor

See also SKorea’s Polarization Shapes Views of Mother Han

See also Inside the Detention Center: A 10-Minute Visit

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See also In Tiny Solitary Cell: Irreversible Harm Caused

See also Mother Han Briefly Released for Medical Reasons

See also Message of Religious Unity from Detention Cell

See also Over 50 Days in Vigil Outside Detention Center

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Press Release: Final Subrr < 11 >

HAK JA HAN T I JAPAN T I MEDIA T I RELIGIOUS FREEDOM T I COMMEMORATING T VARIOUS T

Asia Today Editorial: “Avoid lilD EIEI Share: El Detention Of Clergy!” • November 29, 2025: • Knut Holdhus

Trial Dayl: Mother Han Denies All Allegations December I, 2025 “In Trials of Religious Leaders, Echoes Of Non-Detention Is Preferable” Communist Abuse In South [Editorial] Korea, 2025 November 30, 2025

- The Broader Vision Of The Korea-Japan Tunnel November 27, 2025

M SKorea’s Polarization Shapes Views Of Mother Han November 26, 2025

Gingrich Pressures Seoul To Free Mother Han (82) November 25, 2025

It Began With Days before hearing on Mother One Flower But Became A Big Han’s request for bail, South Field

Korean editorial urges caution in November 24, 2025

detaining religious leaders -~=~ Decline Of Family Values On 28th November, the ~ Creates Social Crisis mainstream Sout h Korean daily November 23, 2025 new spaper Asia Today published The logo o f Asia Today an editorial head lined “In Trials of

.. Religio us Leaders, Non-Detention Is Preferable”.

See also Trial Day 7: Mother Han Denies All Allegations Search.

See a lso Echoes of Communist Abuse in South Korea, 2025

The Typical cell at Seoul Detention Center

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First Name • Last Name

A typical cell at Seoul Detention Center where Mother Han is Email • • being held, possibly for many months. Image: Chat GPT, 10th October 2025. Email Address

piece emphasizes that the relationship between state power and religious authority has always been delicate, and in democratic Your Message • societies it is especially important to prevent even the appearance of repression. When law-enforcement actions involve religious figures, the consequences often extend far beyond the individuals at the center of the investigation.

The article published in Asia Today highlights this tension, arguing Submit that the Korean justice system must handle cases involving religious leaders with heightened caution. The core principle emphasized is that investigations and legal proceedings should, as far as possible, be conducted without pre-trial detention. Deta ining a cleric -someone who symbolizes and represents a faith community- can easily be perceived as a broader attack on the religious group itself, regardless of the formal j ustification offered by p rosecutors.

The editorial underscores how sensitive these issues are not only within Korea but also internationally. Foreign governments and religious freedom observers tend to monitor closely any actions that could be interpreted as limiting religious activity.

President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral meeting with President Lee Jae-myung of the Republic of Korea, Monday, August 25, 2025, in the Oval Office. Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok. Public domain image. Cropped

This point was illustrated earlier when U.S. President Dona ld Trump, ahead of his Korea-U.S. summit w ith President Lee Jae-myung (OIXH \!l). stated that he had heard about “vicious raids on churches” in South Korea.

Following his remarks, severa l American political figures echoed similar concerns, warning that religious liberty in Korea might be under threat. Because of the g loba l attention that religious freedom issues attract, the article argues, Korean authorities must avoid actions that cou ld spark unnecessary controversy or misinterpretation on the world stage.

Despite this, the article notes that rea l-life practice has sometimes failed to reflect this needed restraint. One example cited is the ongoing investigation into Pastor Son Hyun-bo (-e~.s:!.) of the Busan Segyero mega-church, who has been accused of violating the Public Official Election Act. The Busan Metropolitan Police sought to detain him, claiming a risk of flight and possible destruction of evidence. Critics, however, reacted strongly, arguing that a pastor delivering Pastor Son Hyun-bo, here sermons-which are al ready recorded - August 2025. Photo: Bitter poses no realistic threat of disappearing or Winter tampering with evidence. For them, detain ing a clergy member under such circumstances constitutes disproportionate punishment and borders on religious oppression.

Posters in supp ort of Mother Han outside Seoul Detention Cen ter 29th Novem ber 2025. Photo: FFWPU

This broader debate forms the backdrop to an upcoming legal m ilestone involving another prominent religious figure. On 1st December, t h e Seoul Central District Court is set to open the forma l trial of Hak Ja Han (0£/-;!;f). Presid ent of the Family Federation, also called Mother Han. A hearing on her request for bai l w il l be held the same day. While acknowledging that the trial must proceed impartia lly and accord ing to law, the Asia Today article stresses that t h e decision about whether she remains detained during proceedings is a separate question. Because she is the head of a major relig ious movement, detaining her could inflame public perceptions of re ligious d iscrimination or political ta rgeting.

The h umanitarian dimension is also h ighlighted. Mother Han is elderly and reportedly suffers from heart d isease and other ailments. The editorial warns that if bail is denied and she is forced to endure prolonged detention, the government wou ld assume ful l responsibility for any deterio ration in her healt h or potentia l med ical emergencies.

Finally, the article appeals d irect ly to President Lee Jae-myung’s leadership and ch aracter. It notes that he has overcome many hardships t h roughout h is life and therefore understands suffering on a personal level. Because of this, the article suggests, he is uniquely posit ioned to make a compassionate decision that p romotes national h armony. Allowing Mother Han to await trial under bail rather than detention wou ld help dispel con cerns about relig ious persecution, reinforce South Korea’s commitment to civil liberty, and contribute meaningfu lly to social unity.

See also Trial Day 7: Mother Han Denies All Allegations

See also Echoes of Communist Abuse in South Korea, 2025

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: Illustration to the Asia Today editorial 28th November 2025. Left photo credits: Bitter Winter. Right photo: FFWPU

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See also In Tiny Solitary Cell: Irreversible Harm Caused

See also Mother Han Briefly Released for Medical Reasons

See also Message of Religious Unity from Detention Cell

See also Over 50 Days in Vigil Outside Detention Center

Related to editorial urges caution: Mother Han’s December Trial: Long Detention Ahead

Also related to editorial urges caution: A JO-Minute Visit to Mother Han in Detention

Also related to editorial urges caution: Denying Allegations: Hok Ja Han (82) in Inquiry

Also related to editorial urges caution: SKorean Court’s Sharp Criticism of Prosecutors

And also related to editorial urges caution: Detention: Harsh Cell Conditions Spark Outcry

More, related to editorial urges caution: Ugly: Arrest Warrant Sought for Hok Ja Han (82)

And more, related to editorial urges caution: Critics Warn of ‘’Authoritarian Drift” in SKorea

Even more, related to editorial urges caution: Court Decision to Prolong Detention Condemned

Still more, related to editorial urges caution: Co-Founder, 82, Questioned 9 Hours by Prosecutors

Also related to editorial urges caution: Democratic Party’s Assault on Family Federation

And even more, related to editorial urges caution: Mother Han (82) in Poor Health in Damp, Cold Cell

And still more, related to editorial urges caution: Korean Crisis: “True Democracy Must Serve Heaven”

And yet more, related to editorial urges caution: Faith Leaders Protest State Assault on Religion

Also related to editorial urges caution: News Release Blasts Indictment of Hok Jo Han, 82

More, related to editorial urges caution: 70 Years On: Detention History Repeats Itself

And more, related to editorial urges caution: Trump Raises Alarm Over Church Raids in Korea

Even more, related to editorial urges caution: Mike Pompeo Calls Probe of Co-Founder “Lawfare”

Still more, related to editorial urges caution: Korean Faith Crackdown: USA Urged to Confront It

Yet more, related to editorial urges caution: Korean Bribery Scandal: Media Clears Federation

And also related to editorial urges caution: Raids Blur Line Between Justice and Politics

More, related to editorial urges caution: Heavy-Handed Raid on Sacred Sites Condemned

And more, related to editorial urges caution: Scholar Sounds Alarm: State Raiding the Sacred

Even more, related to editorial urges caution: Raids as Political Spectacle and Media Trials

And even more, related to editorial urges caution: Religious Freedom: 330 Faith Leaders Speak Up

Yet more, related to editorial urges caution: Yonhap: Repeated Allegations Create Public Bias

Still more, related to urges caution: Japan Following the Way of China

And still more, related to urges caution: Warning of Threat from CCP Fearing Korean Unity

And also related to urges caution: Japan’s Dissolution Case Echoes China’s Playbook

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