RightsCon Postponed Amid Zambian Alignment Concerns

On 28 April, Zambian Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati announced that the government would postpone RightsCon, the annual digital-human-rights conference scheduled to open in Lusaka on 5 May. An Access Now email advised registered participants not to travel.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

RightsCon, held for 14 years, draws thousands of researchers, activists and policymakers. The 2026 meeting fell three months before Zambia’s 13 August presidential election, a period marked by criticism of new surveillance laws and a “partly free” rating on Freedom House’s 2025 Freedom on the Net index.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

Mutati said the postponement was needed to ensure “full alignment with Zambia’s national values, policy priorities and broader public-interest considerations.” Access Now’s statement expressed “heavy hearts” and urged attendees to avoid travel. Earlier ministry messages had praised the event’s alignment with the national development agenda.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

Aliya Bhatia of the Center for Democracy & Technology expressed empathy for Access Now staff. Mahsa Alimardani of WITNESS warned the government’s action “snuffs out” collective resilience. David Kaye, former UN Special Rapporteur, described the cancellation as an attack on civil society. Paradigm Initiative condemned the decision “in the strongest terms.”

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

A board member of Access Now indicated that the conference had been canceled. The same source reported an “overwhelming surge of support” from civil-society groups and sponsors. Participants faced travel disruptions as flights to Lusaka were already booked.

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• Expected attendance: thousands of researchers, activists and policymakers.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

• Scheduled start: 5 May 2026.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

• Election proximity: three months before the 13 August vote.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

• Freedom House rating: “partly free” (2025 Freedom on the Net).

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

Zambia’s Ministry of Information and Media Facebook page still promoted RightsCon as “back-to-back” with other events after the cancellation announcement, creating contradictory messaging. Journalists received no response from the government or Access Now when seeking clarification.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

The postponement underscores tension between state control of digital policy and the global civil-society network that depends on open forums. Occurring weeks before the August 13 election, the cancellation has been described as a serious attack on civil society, raising concerns about the space for digital-rights advocacy.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

Access Now said it will issue further updates, though no new date is set. UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day event on 4-5 May in Lusaka will proceed. Participants are urged to monitor official channels for travel advisories and possible virtual alternatives.

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

• “I am told I can leak that RightsCon has been canceled. Message from [Access Now] following shortly” — Board member, Access Now

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• “The world is bleak. We find light in each other. Watching a government try to snuff that out is a serious blow, and it should be treated as one,” — Mahsa Alimardani, associate director, WITNESS

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

• “This is a serious attack on civil society,” — David Kaye, law professor, University of California, Irvine, former UN Special Rapporteur

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'

• “The attacks are semantic, economic, and moral,” — Luisa Ortiz Pérez, executive director and co-founder, Vita-Activa.org

RightsCon Canceled After Zambia Requires ‘Full Alignment’ With 'National Values'