Africa: Summit on Human Rights, Technology Effectively Canceled

The Zambian government has decided to postpone RightsCon 2026, effectively canceling the summit scheduled to take place in Lusaka from May 5 to 8, 2026. This decision raises concerns about the authorities' commitment to free expression and assembly, as well as possible Chinese government interference. Human Rights Watch criticized the government's reasons for the postponement as flimsy, suggesting an intention to control the human rights agenda.