Lusaka: Taiwan’s government has expressed strong disapproval towards China after the sudden cancellation of an annual digital rights conference in Zambia, originally set for later this week. The cancellation resulted from Beijing’s objection to the inclusion of Taiwanese participants.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Executive Yuan’s Department of Human Rights and Transitional Justice issued a statement criticizing China’s actions as a deliberate attempt to isolate Taiwan on the global stage. The statement highlighted China’s efforts to pressure international communities to overlook Taiwan’s democratic values and to stifle human rights dialogue concerning surveillance and authoritarian practices.
The abrupt cancellation of the conference deprived Taiwan’s civil society of a crucial platform to discuss digital human rights with global counterparts. The Department emphasized the importance of Taiwan fostering stronger alliances with international civil society groups to enhance democratic resilience and uphold the principles of freedom, democracy, and human rights in the digital realm.
RightsCon, in its 14th edition, was scheduled to convene in Lusaka, Zambia, from May 5-8. However, on May 1, organizer Access Now announced the event’s cancellation citing Chinese government pressure on Zambia regarding the participation of Taiwanese civil society delegates.
Access Now, in a statement, condemned the infringement on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association, and expression within the RightsCon community. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to human rights, indicating that although the event would not take place in Zambia, efforts to unite the community would continue in the future.