'SADD Activists from Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church Bell Tower Protest Face Detention Hearing Tomorrow'

by Lee Kimin

Published 04 May.2025 14:56(KST)

Violation of the Assembly and Demonstration Act, Outdoor Advertisement Act, and Trespassing into a Shared Residence

Lee, an activist from the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD), and Min, another activist from the same organization, who were arrested after staging a high-altitude protest atop the bell tower of Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church, are scheduled to undergo a pretrial detention hearing (warrant review) on May 5.

On May 4, the Seoul Hyehwa Police Station requested arrest warrants for Lee and Min, both activists from SADD.

The two are accused of staging a protest atop the Hyehwa-dong bell tower for 15 days starting from April 18, alleging that the Catholic Church distorted the rights of persons with disabilities to transition out of institutions. They are charged with violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act, the Outdoor Advertisement Act, and trespassing into a shared residence.

They have also previously demanded an apology from the Catholic Church, claiming that the Church disparaged the right of persons with disabilities to live freely outside of institutions.

Earlier, Park, another SADD activist who was arrested alongside them during the high-altitude protest and detained at the Dongdaemun Police Station, was released on the morning of May 4.

SADD is currently collecting signatures for a petition calling for the dismissal of the arrest warrants for the two activists.

Regarding the request for arrest warrants, SADD stated, "The police and prosecutors have applied for arrest warrants for the activists, citing concerns over flight risk and the possibility of evidence destruction, even though the activists engaged in a non-violent high-altitude protest to demand the right to transition out of institutions and independent living, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the international community." They further argued, "They are criminalizing legitimate demands for rights and attempting to suppress voices for human rights through detention."