As reports The Guardian reports that the decision was made days before the event opened, despite lengthy preparations and the state’s involvement in its organization. The authorities said the conference should be “in line with national values and policy priorities”.
The forum was expected to be attended by more than 2,600 representatives of civil society, technology companies, academia and government agencies from more than 150 countries. The agenda included the topics of artificial intelligence, digital control, censorship, misinformation and user rights on the Internet.
Possible reasons for abolition
Zambian news sources speculate that pressure from China may have been behind the surprise decision – several Taiwanese delegates were expected to attend and the conference was held in a room provided by China. The conference, now in its 14th year, was held in Taipei last year.
Officially, Zambian authorities cited the need for additional vetting of conference topics and participants, as well as security concerns and compliance with government policy.
Human rights organizations and forum participants see the cancellation as a restriction on freedom of expression and an attempt to control the agenda. In their view, the decision reflects a broader trend of shrinking space for public debate in the digital sphere.
RightsCon has been held annually since 2011 and is one of the key global platforms for discussing technology regulation, the impact of artificial intelligence, internet censorship and digital rights.
The cancellation of the forum against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and increased regulation of the digital space underscores the growing interconnectedness of technology, politics and international relations.
In this context, the disruption of RightsCon 2026 was not only an organizational crisis, but also a signal of the growing influence of geopolitical factors on the global technology agenda and the discussion of digital rights.
