The Campaign for Hong Kong

05/14/2026

Trump Says He Will Raise Jimmy Lai’s Case to Xi, as Lawmakers Press for His Release:
Mr. Trump has shown less appetite for wading into human rights issues than past U.S. presidents at summits with Beijing, but said he would raise the case of the imprisoned pro-democracy media mogul. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/world/asia/trump-says-he-will-raise-jimmy-lais-case-to-xi-as-lawmakers-press-for-his-release.html

05/08/2026

Zambia was due to host , the world's biggest digital rights gathering, this week — but abruptly canceled the event. Organizers blame Chinese pressure for the decision. NPR via Emily Feng

Zambia was due to host Rights Con, the world's biggest digital rights gathering, this week -- but abruptly canceled the event. Organizers blame Chinese pressure for the decision.

05/01/2026

A global human rights conference gets shut down.

Not in China.
In Zambia.

Because of China.

https://www.wired.com/story/the-chinese-government-pressured-zambia-to-cancel-the-worlds-largest-digital-rights-conference/

Access Now, the group that organizes RightsCon, says Zambian officials asked it to exclude Taiwanese participants if it wanted the event to proceed as planned.

04/30/2026

"The right to assemble, associate, and speak freely must not be conditioned on political approval." From our friend Isabela at TOR Project:

The Tor Project is deeply saddened by the last-minute cancellation of RightsCon 2026. While canceling may have been necessary to protect participants, the circumstances behind it underscore the urgent fight against censorship, surveillance, and restrictions on civic participation. Tor stands in soli...

04/30/2026

"Could it concern Zambia’s relationship with China? Last Friday, they signed an agreement to work more closely together. The relationship was already tight – Zambia is the first African country to allow mining companies to pay in yuan, China’s currency. Beijing would not be a fan of RightsCon, and Beijing has a record of interference." Read Index on Censorship's Jemimah Steinfeld piece: https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/04/zambia-censors-an-international-conferenceon-censorship

04/30/2026

Our full statement on the cancellation of 2026 in Zambia amidst potential PRC pressure.

"Economic leverage does not stay in the market—it extends into speech, access, and who is allowed in the room. If external pressure played no role, the Government should say so clearly. If it did, the public deserves to know who is setting the limits on speech—and why."

04/30/2026

The government’s letter, signed by the Minister of Technology and Science and dated April 27, 2026, offers broad language—“alignment,” “consultations,” “clearances”—but no specifics.

Our response asks simple questions:

What changed at the last minute?
Why was the event effectively canceled?
And whether any external pressure—including from the PRC—played a role.

If the answer is no, say so clearly.

If not, explain.

That’s how accountability works.

04/29/2026

We were preparing to travel to Lusaka for —the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age—along with hundreds of others. Days before it was set to begin, the Zambian government “postponed” it.

RightsCon isn’t a small gathering. It brings together civil society, governments, and technologists from around the world to “build strategies and drive forward change toward a more free, open, and connected world.”

The Government of Zambia’s explanation? Vague references to “security concerns,” “alignment,” and “further consultations.” No specifics. No timeline. No clarity.

You don’t delay a global human rights convening days before it begins without consequences. Flights booked. Visas issued. Sessions set. This isn’t a scheduling issue.

I’ve seen this before.

“Security” is one of the most effective ways to restrict freedom without saying so.
Clean. Bureaucratic. Hard to contest. This is how civic space gets managed now. Not always through bans—but through delays, ambiguity, and last-minute decisions that make gathering impossible.

If this is about “security,” the public deserves specifics.
If it’s not, the public deserves honesty.

This isn’t procedural.
It’s political.

04/29/2026

Would you be interested in hosting a democracy defender at risk/in exile at your university? Prof. Victoria Hui at Notre Dame has created this incredible class that brings living history and current events into the classrooms. We are so glad to take part this semester alongside incredible leaders and dissidents from around the world.

04/04/2026

A powerful story and illustrations of the impact of NSL in Hong Kong.

Beijing’s sweeping national security law, imposed in 2020, has reshaped Hong Kong’s political landscape. With a conviction rate exceeding 90%, many people remain behind bars, and the city’s democratic opposition has been silenced. Once a symbol of freedom in Asia, Hong Kong now faces lasting c...