The Zambian government has postponed RightsCon 2026, a move that Human Rights Watch describes as an effective cancellation of the global summit on human rights and technology. Originally scheduled to take place in Lusaka from May 5 to 8, 2026, the event was halted by the state just days before its planned commencement.
In a statement released April 29, Zambian authorities claimed the postponement was necessitated by the need for comprehensive disclosure […] relating to key thematic issues proposed for discussion during the Summit
. This followed earlier comments from the minister of technology and science, who attributed the delay to pending administrative and security clearances
for certain speakers. Following these developments, the summit organizers, Access Now, advised registered participants against traveling to Lusaka.
The abrupt reversal comes despite previous signals of state support. On March 3, the Ministry of Technology and Science had met with organizers to welcome the event, stating it aligned with Zambia’s national development agenda. Some prospective attendees reported receiving official support letters for visa applications from the ministry as early as February.
Human Rights Watch and other civil society organizations have challenged the government’s justification for the postponement. Idriss Ali Nassah, a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, characterized the government’s reasoning as flimsy
and suggested the move was an attempt to control the summit’s human rights agenda.
The Zambia government’s flimsy reasons for postponing RightsCon suggest that the government wanted to control the summit’s human rights agenda. The authorities should fully explain the last-minute cancellation, which is a serious loss for the promotion of human rights. Idriss Ali Nassah, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch
The Net Rights Coalition, representing more than 130 digital rights stakeholders, issued a statement asserting that the cancellation raises significant concerns regarding the closing of civic space within the country.
Diplomatic Pressure and Infrastructure
Reports suggest the cancellation may be linked to diplomatic tension involving China. A civil society activist on the Lusaka organizing committee told Human Rights Watch that the postponement followed expressions of displeasure from the Chinese government regarding the invitation of participants from Taiwan. Local media outlets also reported that Zambian authorities were uneasy about Taiwanese delegates potentially criticizing China at a venue funded by the Chinese state.
The summit was slated to be held at the Mulungushi Conference Center. The facility underwent a refurbishment in 2020 funded by the Chinese government at a reported cost of US$60 million. While Zambian officials described the funding as a gift from […] China
with no strings attached
at the time, the current timing of the cancellation has drawn scrutiny toward the influence of the investment.
China remains a primary investor in Zambia’s mining sector and a partner in the Belt and Road Initiative. Human Rights Watch noted that it has previously documented poor labor, health, and safety conditions at Chinese-run mining operations in the country, which the Zambian government has been slow to regulate.
Domestic Legal Context
The postponement occurs against a backdrop of tightening digital controls in Zambia. In April 2025, the Zambian Parliament passed the Cyber Crimes Act and the Cyber Security Act. Civil society organizations have argued that these laws violate international human rights standards and have been utilized to arrest political opponents and limit online expression.
The Law Association of Zambia has since filed a petition with the High Court seeking to have provisions of the Cyber Crimes Act declared unconstitutional. That legal challenge remains pending.
Sishuwa Sishuwa, a prominent Zambian academic, told Human Rights Watch that the government likely feared the summit would bring international scrutiny to the country’s human rights record. Sishuwa cited severe restrictions on peaceful assembly, free speech, and the use of criminal libel and sedition charges against critics, noting that these issues would have been debated just weeks before the start of the August general election campaign.
Deborah Brown, technology and rights deputy director at Human Rights Watch, described the shutdown of the event as a terrible blow
to the digital rights movement both globally and within Zambia.
Human Rights Watch requested comments from the Zambian government and the Chinese Embassy in Lusaka; neither entity provided an immediate response.
