Rights Summit Is Off After Reported Chinese Pressure
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- Access Now, a US-based advocacy group, canceled the RightsCon human rights conference in Zambia due to Chinese pressure on the Zambian government to exclude Taiwanese activists from participating.
- The Zambian government initially postponed the event, citing the need to review themes for alignment with national values, but Access Now attributed the cancellation to foreign interference aimed at excluding Taiwanese delegates.
- Zambia maintains strong political and economic ties with China, particularly through Chinese mining interests, which likely influenced the government's decision.
- Taiwanese Digital Affairs Minister Lin Yi-jing criticized the cancellation as evidence of China's discomfort with the values of freedom, democracy, and rule of law represented by Taiwan and RightsCon.
- RightsCon is an annual event addressing human rights and technology issues, with over 2,600 in-person and 1,100 online participants expected from more than 150 countries; last year's summit was held in Taiwan.
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