The Global Network Initiative (GNI) joins the chorus of individuals and organizations expressing shock and deep disappointment at the Government of Zambia’s unilateral decision to “postpone” RightsCon 2026. We are appalled by the timing of this decision and the manner in which it was made, which has inflicted significant financial, psychological, and community harm on thousands of participants, organizers, and partners, including many local stakeholders, as well as on Zambian businesses that were set to provide essential services for the event. We are also deeply concerned that interference by the People’s Republic of China appears to be one of the reasons why RightsCon 2026 will not proceed in Zambia.
As one of the most important annual, global gatherings on digital rights – and its first-ever edition in Africa south of the Sahara – RightsCon 2026 in Lusaka represented an important opportunity for regional and global engagement. This abrupt postponement not only undermines that effort, it erodes trust in the conditions necessary to protect fundamental rights and enable multistakeholderism to be sustained in digital governance. The ripple effects of this postponement will be felt across the global digital rights community for a long time.
We are also concerned that the reasons offered for the “postponement” – pending administrative clearances and unresolved thematic questions – do not reflect the full picture, and note that greater transparency and engagement could have enabled meaningful dialogue between the organizers and the government. Announced just days before thousands of registered participants, many with imminent travel plans, were set to arrive in Lusaka, this decision not only undermines trust but also contributes to a broader erosion of civil society’s ability to convene in spaces that are safe, open, and grounded in democratic values. We are particularly concerned about the disproportionate impact this decision has had on smaller civil society organizations and actors from the Global South, many of whom invested scarce institutional resources to participate in what is often a rare opportunity for alliance-building, visibility, and direct engagement with funders and global partners. These impacts exacerbate pre-existing challenges that many of these actors face due to the deprioritization of foreign assistance and other support mechanisms.
GNI affirms that the open exchange of ideas, including on technology, governance, and human rights must be protected and supported by all actors, including governments. Multistakeholder forums like RightsCon depend on the assurance that participants can convene, speak, and engage freely. Open, inclusive spaces for conversation about digital rights, technology policy, and civic participation are more necessary now than ever before, particularly as civic space shrinks and threats of retaliation against journalists, researchers, and human rights defenders increase around the world. GNI has previously raised concerns about the risks that come from hosting events in countries with documented histories of human rights violations.
GNI stands in solidarity with Access Now, the RightsCon community, and all those affected by this disruption – especially local civil society and human rights defenders. We remain committed to the multistakeholder principles that events like RightsCon exist to uphold and look forward to supporting community-driven efforts to find alternative spaces for the critical conversations that were set to take place at RightsCon.
GNI calls on the Zambian government to engage transparently with Access Now and the RightsCon community to provide a clear and full account of the reasons for this decision. We also take this opportunity to note the challenges and gaps that have been pointed out regarding Zambia’s digital legal framework and encourage the government to work openly and transparently with all stakeholders to bring this framework into alignment with the country’s international and constitutional commitments. In the context of upcoming general elections, such developments risk raising broader concerns about the enabling environment for civil society, public participation, and the safeguarding of fundamental freedoms.
About GNI
The Global Network Initiative is a multistakeholder organization of technology companies, civil society groups, academics, and investors working to advance freedom of expression and privacy in the technology sector. GNI develops principles and guidance to help companies respond to government demands for user data and content in ways that respect human rights, and advocates for legal frameworks that include strong safeguards, oversight, and transparency. GNI has been actively engaged on surveillance reform, including U.S. authorities such as Section 702 of FISA, as well as comparable frameworks globally, emphasizing the need for necessity, proportionality, and accountability in government access to data.