RightsCon 2026, one of the biggest in-person convenings for digital rights, was de facto cancelled after Zambia’s government postponed it via public announcement, without prior communication with Access Now, the organizer of the event. With staff and some participants already on the ground in Lusaka, and others about to board their planes, this last-minute decision created chaos.
In a statement, the RightsCon and Access Now teams explained that Zambia’s decision had been motivated by interference from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), pressuring the government of Zambia to exclude Taiwanese participants from joining online and in-person. To its credit, Access Now refused.
In a political climate where governments get to decide how the civic space operates, the danger for human rights is loud and clear. Setting such a precedent could produce a chilling effect, with more governments seeing an opportunity to interfere with similar events and further restrict freedom of expression and the right to assemble.
Facing such a threat, the digital rights community must respond in a coordinated manner, pushing for strategic discussions about the way forward.
Implications for civil society
The cancellation of RightsCon 2026 was felt throughout the digital rights community on multiple levels. With more than 2,600 participants expected in person and at least another 1,100 online, representing more than 150 countries and 750 institutions, as per the statement issued by the organizers, this year’s gathering was supposed to serve as a much-needed space for civil society to meet, discuss, reimagine and reshape the future of digital rights.
In a continuously and aggressively shrinking civic space, RightsCon is an essential platform, and for many civil society organizations, it is their only opportunity to participate in an international forum bringing together digital rights experts with different backgrounds and affiliations. Depriving participants of their right to assemble has serious implications for civil society at large, but especially for organizations from the Global Majority, whose limited resources oblige them to spend selectively on conference attendance.
Access Now had been preparing for this event for months, including multiple site visits dating back to 2024 and a publicly signed MoU with Zambia’s Ministry of Technology and Science. Significant human and financial resources were poured into its planning. Not proceeding with the event, just days before its beginning, meant that most – if not all – of the expenses for the event will not be reimbursed. Based on the size of the conference, the amount of money spent is not negligible. For an organization and conference, already operating under pressure, the impact could be lasting.
Civil society organizations (CSOs), already gravely affected by severe budget cuts and reprioritization, stretched their resources to cover flights, visas, and accommodation and are now facing non-refundable losses. Side events that were planned and resourced were also canceled alongside the main conference. A number of statements were published voicing the dire financial consequences of the cancellations of RightsCon 2026 and the side events. The sentiments of frustration and disempowerment are compounding an already challenging moment, leading to the question: How can we keep going when everything seems against us?
Besides the financial implications, the event’s cancellation caused anguish and frustration for participants who had already reached Lusaka, and sparked safety concerns due to the initial ambiguity surrounding the reasons for the decision, and the subsequent confirmation of foreign political pressure. Some participants were unable to immediately book return flights because of financial constraints and were essentially stuck in Zambia.
The way forward
Against all odds, civil society continues to stand in solidarity. From budget cuts to the persecution of activists and human rights defenders worldwide, the threats are one too many. However, even facing a catastrophic event cancellation, Access Now never considered continuing with a conference that excluded Taiwanese participants. In times of crisis like this one, civil society carries forward in a principled manner, committed to inclusivity and resisting political extortion.
The statements condemning the Zambian government’s decision and expressing support to the RightsCon and Access Now teams are a testament to civil society’s perseverance, even in the harshest conditions.
This crisis presents also an opportunity for the digital rights community to have important strategic discussions that have been put off for too long. Looking forward, these discussions should be centered around how civil society operates in a gradually restricted civic space, putting emphasis on meaningful engagement and wider representation.
RightsCon 2025 in Taiwan was a success story and served this purpose. The intention to host the conference in a different continent each year—although good in principle—could end up undermining the purpose. Visa restrictions blocked meaningful participation in Costa Rica in 2023, while a host government’s capitulation to foreign pressure canceled the conference in 2026. Comprehensive due diligence when deciding on a hosting country, including exhaustive research of the government’s political ties or financial dependence on foreign powers, is essential, but a broader discussion about how we invest time, energy and resources is highly needed.
The funding question also deserves attention. Participation in international conferences consumes a significant share of many CSOs budgets. With resources being constantly reduced, civil society and donors are forced to revisit prioritization of activities. Attending global gatherings is important, but we need to make sure that these initiatives reflect the real issues the digital community currently faces and seek to contribute to actual change.
Reimagining and reshaping the space should be based on the goals it is trying to pursue. Wider representation should be one of the main focuses. To achieve this, event organizers should take into serious consideration visa requirements and travel costs for participants from the Global Majority and potentially leverage EU states’ (i.e. Spain) position on the protection of human rights to facilitate visas.
Regional events should also be afforded more attention. Convenings such as SMEX’s Bread& Net, 7amleh’s Palestine Digital Activism Forum and Paradigm Initiative’s Digital Rights & Inclusion Forum, are only a few examples. Apart from serving as a space for sharing global perspectives, organizing regional events is a more straight-forward process. Organizers are local partners who know the context. Regional gatherings avoid this intermediary relationship and provide for a smoother process that diminishes logistical headaches.
In a constantly shrinking civic space — one that is suffering from funding cuts and oppressive governmental tactics — being able to convene in person with like-minded people and stakeholders from various backgrounds is vital for the digital rights community.
Against all attempts to further reduce this space, we emerge in solidarity with one another, persistently exploring innovative ways to overcome obstacles and fighting the good fight for digital rights.
The cancellation of RightsCon 2026 is a prompt for us to dive deep into discussions about how we envision the space for digital rights, taking advantage of the means already available, but also discover new approaches to engagement and advocacy.
We have the tools and the community to challenge past narratives and consolidate our shared values. Now is the time to turn this hurdle to opportunity.
