Zambia’s government has cancelled the RightsCon 2026 summit on “human rights in the digital age,” which was scheduled to take place in Lusaka from 5-8 May, because it did not align with the country’s “national values,” according to Thabo Kawana, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Information & Media.

Concerns Over Censorship and Suppression

Over 2,600 activists, technologists, academics, and policymakers had been expected to attend the event, which aimed to address issues such as online hate, internet shutdowns, artificial intelligence, surveillance, and disinformation. Rights campaigners have described the decision as a “blatant act of censorship” and part of a broader pattern of suppression of legitimate debate.

Zambian news reports have suggested that pressure from China may have played a role in the decision, given that the conference was to be held in a venue donated by China and several Taiwanese delegates had been due to attend. The event, now in its 14th year, was held in Taipei last year.

Reactions from Activists and Delegates

Linda Kasonde, a prominent Zambian lawyer and civil society activist, criticized the cancellation as a disregard for human rights. She noted that the current administration had initially been seen as a government of rule of law and democracy. “What we are seeing is a slow degradation of rights — of freedom of expression and the right to assemble,” she said.

Kasonde linked the decision to the upcoming August 2026 general election, suggesting the government is using laws to entrench power post-election. “Political parties and civil society have been denied the opportunity to meet in public,” she added.

The cancellation has been described as a blow to Zambia’s reputation. “This was the first time RightsCon was being held in southern Africa and it was a showcase for our region. It is highly unfortunate that it was cancelled at the very last minute for an extremely disingenuous reason,” Kasonde said.

Concerns From International Organizers and Delegates

Access Now, the New York-based organizer of RightsCon, issued a statement on Friday expressing disappointment at the unilateral decision. “We see this unilateral decision, and the way it was taken, as evidence of the far reach of transnational repression targeting civil society,” the organization said. “It really dents the image of our country,” Kasonde added.

Many delegates had already booked and paid for their travel. Karna Kone, from Côte d’Ivoire, who was due to join a panel on digital censorship, had spent months organizing his visa to Zambia. “Travelling from west Africa is very expensive and a lot of logistical work. It’s a loss in terms of money and of energy,” he said.

Kone, who works for the ODAS Centre, a coalition of reproductive health organizations, added that the cancellation was a loss of opportunity. “Security was the reason we were going. Our members face online harassment and physical threats because of their focus on [strengthening access to] safe abortion. RightsCon was one of very few global spaces we could connect and share our work. This was a chance to give voice to Francophone Africa. Now this conversation has been silenced.”

Chioma Agwuegbo, director of TechHer, a Nigerian organization mentoring girls in technology, was also due to speak and said RightsCon was a rare opportunity for organizations to come up with solutions to pressing challenges. “At a time when civic space across the continent is increasingly shrinking, this incident reflects a troubling pattern where compliance mechanisms are weaponised to restrict convening, dialogue and dissent,” she said.

“These constraints silence voices and weaken ecosystems working to protect fundamental human rights, including the safety and dignity of women and girls online,” she added.

A significant number of speakers were lined up to address issues around the online censorship of sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). “It is deeply ironic that a conference dedicated to strengthening rights and participation in digital spaces is being shut down in this way,” said Martha Dimitratou, director of Repro Uncensored.

Luca Stevenson of the International Planned Parenthood Federation said RightsCon was a “critical” space for communities already pushed to the margins, “including sex workers, LGBTQIA+ people, and those seeking sexual and reproductive healthcare.”

Sibongile Ndashe, a South African lawyer and human rights activist, said the Zambian government’s move set a dangerous precedent. “If cancellation of conferences becomes normalised, it is human rights groups that will progressively find it hard to convene,” she said. “Restrictions on human rights harm those without power.”