Overview
- Access Now, which announced the cancellation Friday, said Chinese diplomats pressed Zambia to bar Taiwanese civil society delegates.
- Zambia said it postponed the summit for pending security checks to ensure talks matched national values, citing those reasons in April 28–29 statements.
- Organizers reported that some travelers were stopped by Lusaka immigration and told the event was off, and that officials informally urged them to drop topics and exclude at‑risk groups including Taiwanese participants.
- Taiwan’s Executive Yuan, Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and UN assembly rights expert Gina Romero condemned the move and warned it narrows civic space ahead of Zambia’s August elections.
- RightsCon was set to draw more than 5,000 people from 150 countries, and critics say China’s influence in Zambia, including major investments and about US$5 billion in debt, underscores how economic leverage can shape who gets heard at global forums.