Rights Summit in Zambia Is Canceled After Chinese Pressure to Exclude Taiwanese Activists
Human Rights Watch said China likely pressured Zambia after Taiwanese speakers were invited, and organizers said the summit would not be held in person or online.
- On Friday, organizers Access Now canceled the 14th RightsCon Summit after the Zambian government postponed the event scheduled for May 5-8 in Lusaka, which will not proceed in Zambia or online.
- Zambian-Based media reported the cancellation stemmed from Chinese pressure regarding Taiwanese delegates at the Mulungushi International Convention Center, a "gift" from China built with $60 million in funds.
- Access Now rejected demands to "moderate specific topics and exclude communities at risk, including our Taiwanese participants," leading the group to cancel the summit rather than comply with government conditions.
- More than 2,600 participants were due to attend in Lusaka, with 1,100 registered to join online, representing more than 150 countries affected by the cancellation.
- Under the "One China" principle, Beijing opposes official engagement with Taiwanese representatives, a stance that influences diplomatic relations across Africa as China shapes the digital ecosystem through infrastructure investments.
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45 Articles
Diplomats from Beijing are said to have demanded to exclude Taiwanese participants. Organizer Access Now must bow to government in Lusaka.
RightsCon 2026 in Zambia Cancelled Under Pressure from China
RightsCon, the world’s largest digital human rights conference, was forced to cancel its 2026 conference just days before it was to convene in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, reportedly due to Chinese pressure on the Zambian government. A leading summit on human rights and technology held annually since 2011 in various countries and organized by the advocacy group Access Now, RightsCon had anticipated about 2,600 attendees from more than 750 orga…
Gov't blasts China after digital rights forum canceled over Taiwanese participation
Taipei, May 3 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Sunday condemned China after an annual digital rights conference scheduled to be held in Zambia later this week was canceled at the last minute following pressure from Beijing over Taiwanese participation.
Rights Summit Is Off After Reported Chinese Pressure
The US-based organizers of an international human rights conference said they canceled it days before it was to open because China pressured the African host country to exclude Taiwanese activists. Organizers of Access Now, a New York-based advocacy group, said late Friday it had canceled the RightsCon summit in Zambia...
Rights group concerned over Zambia decision to postpone RightsCon 2026
Human Rights Watch on Friday questioned the Zambian government’s latest decision to postpone RightsCon 2026, a global summit intended to foster collaboration between civil society activists and industry on the impact of digital technologies on human rights. Technology deputy director at Human Rights Watch, Deborah Brown stated: “By shutting down RightsCon, the Zambian government is shutting down discussions and opportunities to strategize and co…
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