An international human rights summit in Zambia was cancelled after allegations of Chinese pressure over Taiwanese participation emerged before opening.
Organizers Access Now said it cancelled RightsCon after Zambian authorities initially postponed the event and demanded exclusions of certain participants.
They said Zambian officials informed them China exerted pressure due to planned attendance of Taiwanese civil society delegates in person.
Access Now insisted it would not exclude Taiwanese delegates calling the alleged interference unacceptable foreign influence over civil space operations.
The Zambian government had earlier said the postponement aimed to ensure discussions aligned with national values and priorities public interest.
Zambia maintains strong political and economic ties with China driven largely by mining investments across the resource-rich nation southern Africa.
RightsCon is an annual forum on human rights and technology addressing surveillance censorship and cyberwarfare among global participants issues worldwide.
Taiwan’s digital affairs minister said the cancellation reflects Beijing’s unease over freedom democracy and rule of law principles core values.
Human Rights Watch urged Zambian authorities to provide a clear explanation for the decision and surrounding circumstances without delay now.
The move follows reports of Chinese diplomatic pressure in Africa affecting Taiwan-related visits and transit permissions recently across regional states.
Beijing maintains Taiwan is its breakaway province while Taiwan says it will resist external pressure and continue engagement abroad diplomatically.
