Greece 🇬🇷 has witnessed a flurry of corruption and espionage against journalists, but the journalists are relentless and principled and the truth will eventually come out through the courts and through public interest investigations. www.dnews.gr/eidhseis/new...

Oh and here's the photo of the UN officials inspecting the poster after I refused to let Egyptian security take it away (2009). The poster is framed and hung on the wall of the inside of @citizenlab.ca to this day :)

Another interesting coincidence: cofounder of @accessnow.org @brettsolomon.bsky.social was in attendance at that IGF, and that's where he and I first met. He described to me his vision for @accessnow.org which he was about to start.

Interesting coincidence: I faced a similar type of pressure in 2009 in Egypt 🇪🇬 because of China 🇨🇳 at the UN's Internet Governance Forum (IGF) China forced UN officials to shut down our book launch because our book mentioned Tibet. Big standoff between security & me news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technol...

As many are aware by now, @accessnow.org 's annual @rightscon.org was cancelled because of pressure on the host govt Zambia 🇿🇲 by China 🇨🇳 www.rightscon.org/rc26-stateme... In their statement, @accessnow.org rightly flags this is as an example of transnational repression

I have many thoughts about the last-minute cancellation of #RightsCon in Zambia, what it means for the community, and what lessons must be learned. But first, I’m sharing empathy for the @accessnow.org team and everyone dealing with financial, logistical, and security fallout from this situation.

Zambia announced it was cancelling the large digital freedoms conference RightsCon days before it was to be held in Lukasa even as thousands were en route. Officials cited concerns about the conference's themes. The Chinese govt reportedly bankrolled the event venue. therecord.media/zabia-cancel...

The short notice cancellation of RightsCon 2026 in Zambia is a dangerous precedent for digital rights and press freedom. It weakens global exchange on freedom of expression and undermines the spirit of UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day. 👉 Read Tabani Moyo's interview: akademie.dw.com/en/righscon-...

We're grateful to Access Now for its leadership and for speaking up clearly and directly about the interference that led to the cancellation of RightsCon this week. This incident only emphasizes why their work is so important!

This cancellation is going to get caught up in geopolitics, but I want to underscore the biggest losers are civil societies in Africa, Lat Am, Southeast Asia — and that China is the reason for this. 4/5

China is the reason why @rightscon.org, one of the world's largest human rights conferences attended by thousands, has been canceled in Zambia — a location specifically chosen to honor the Global South. I've been to the past three (Taipei, Costa Rica, online). Some thoughts... 1/5

kudos to @rightscon.org for standing firm and not sacrificing principles or vulnerable participants. Zambian officials, evidently pressed by Beijing, caved and behaved like amateurs. it’s an example of how china seeks not only geopolitical power but wants to crush critical civil society.

This is an attack on civil society ... "World’s Largest Digital Human Rights Conference Suddenly Canceled" www.404media.co/rightscon-hu...

🌍 Members and partners of IFEX and the @gfmd.info strongly condemn the Zambian government's last-minute cancellation of RightsCon 2026, a decision driven by Chinese pressure over the participation of Taiwanese delegates. Read the statement: buff.ly/2Y6Scvw

RightsCon was delayed by Zambia's Ministry of Information for "thematic issues" and problems with speakers.

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. www.wired.com/story/the-ch...

The Zambia government’s flimsy reasons for postponing RightsCon suggest that the government wanted to control the summit’s human rights agenda. The authorities should fully explain the last-minute cancellation, which is a serious loss for the promotion of human rights.

Das ist heftig: China hat durch Infrastrukturprojekte im Globalen Süden über Jahrzehnte massive Abhängigkeiten geschaffen. Jetzt soll die Volksrepublik diese Macht genutzt haben, um die #RightsCon in Sambia zu verhindern, eine der wichtigsten Konferenzen für digitale Grund- und Menschenrechte.

hats off to the RightsCon leadership for their unwavering integrity under such immense pressure this is a huge loss to the digital rights community but rightsCon's moral integrity comes through unscathed; a silver lining during a dark moment

More than just canceling a conference: “China’s assault on RightsCon is further emblematic of its broader efforts to influence global digital norms-setting” In @techpolicypress.bsky.social www.techpolicy.press/chinas-disru...

Eine der wichtigsten globalen Konferenzen zu digitalen Grund- & Menschenrechten sollte diese Woche in Sambia stattfinden. Doch die Veranstaltung wurde kurzfristig abgesagt. Veranstalter @accessnow.org erhebt schwere Vorwürfe: Wegen taiwanesischer Gäste übte der NGO zufolge China Druck aus #rightscon

"It is with heavy hearts that we share: RightsCon will not proceed in Zambia or online." www.404media.co/rightscon-hu...

The U.S.-based organizers of an international human rights conference said they canceled it days before it was due to open because China pressured the African host country to exclude Taiwanese activists.

China’s transnational repression came for @rightscon.org And we are pushing back

Following our April 29 announcement, we believe it's important to be transparent about the context that led to the decision. We want to explain, where we can, why this was made on such short notice, only days before we were set to host RightsCon. Read: www.rightscon.org/rc26-stateme...

Today marks the 4th anniversary of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine 🕯️ Russia has not only killed & maimed thousands of Ukrainians but also persecuted 4000+ of ppl in Russia & occupied Ukraine for daring to oppose the war

2 years ago, friends from the First Department published their investigation into Russian spy company #Oxygen used by US & European law enforcement. Glad to see @olgalautman.bsky.social digging into it as well. This company is a major human rights & national security threat youtu.be/Ib4jFJrrgu8

“NSO has been frustrating investigations, discrediting victims and researchers and putting enormous resources into actively trying to avoid accountability and providing remedy to victims in U.S. and other courts." @natynettle.bsky.social Read more ⬇️ therecord.media/spyware-make...

NEW: NSO tried to hijack the Pall Mall Process to whitewash their reputation in the midst of ongoing Pegasus abuses. France & UK govs leading the process say: "Not so fast!" Submitting comments ≠ participation/compliance! By @suzannesmalley.bsky.social therecord.media/spyware-make...

New security feature released by WhatsApp to further protect high risk users from spyware 🙌 For some, this can be truly life saving! More companies should be adding such features to their platforms and devices. By @cyberscoop.bsky.social @timstarks.bsky.social cyberscoop.com/whatsapp-str...

Today, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that it took three people closely affiliated with Intellexa, the company behind Predator spyware, off of a sanctions list. The public deserves to know what evidence exists to prove that these individuals have ceased their involvement with Intellexa. 1/

Fantastic News! 📢 U.S. court rejects all of NSO's objections to permanent injunction! The ruling bans NSO from accessing WhatsApp platform & orders NSO to delete all technologies that use, access, or depend on WhatsApp. This basically outlaws Pegasus in its current form🚫

It was a pleasure to speak at #InternetCA ‘25 together with regional partners & Kazakhstan🇰🇿& Kyrgyzstan🇰🇬 officials. I highlighted the disproportionality of internet shutdowns 🛜, the dangers of “white lists” ☑️‼️& the importance of protecting e2e encryption🔒 🙏 to MediaNET for the invitation

This should be a big scandal! U.S. hacking company employee is accused of selling trade secrets to Russia 🇷🇺 ! A stark reminder why commercial spyware industry is such a threat to U.S. & other Western democracies’ national security. We need strict controls & enforcement!

New investigation by SentinelOne & partners from DSL Ukraine into phishing attack targeting humanitarian actors. The attack chain overlaps with Russian FSB hacking group COLDRIVER/Star Blizzard which we at @accessnow.org & @citizenlab.ca reported on last year www.sentinelone.com/labs/phantom...

🇷🇺 🇺🇦 Russian forces struck a kindergarten in Kharkiv with killer drones on Wednesday morning, according to top Ukrainian officials. www.politico.eu/article/russ... #Russia #Ukraine

Today’s WhatsApp v NSO injunction is a BIG DEAL & may essentially kill Pegasus spyware *as we know it.* To comply, NSO would have to ensure that their spyware cannot access WhatsApp messages or break WhatsApp’s encryption. This means that NSO can no longer offer “unlimited” access to victims’ 📱s

💡Some key recommendations from @accessnow.org's @natynettle.bsky.social, @mdedora.bsky.social, & Rand Hammoud on 🇺🇸ICE's contract with #spyware vendor Paragon Solutions. 👇👇👇

Great News! 👏 Apple announced they will be donating 1000 iPhone 17s with the much more secure Memory Integrity Enforcement to high-risk users! Another meaningful step that Apple is taking to protect journalists, activists & dissidents from commercial spyware! 1/ security.apple.com/blog/apple-s...

A highly concerning development. NSO and its customers have been targeting U.S. companies like WhatsApp and government officials in violation of U.S. laws and national security. It should not be rewarded with American investments.

In English: www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/ar...

With the mercenary spyware industry booming, Apple VP Ivan Krstić tells WIRED that the company is also offering bonuses that could bring the max total reward for iPhone exploits to $5 million. www.wired.com/story/apple-...

[9/10] “It is very concerning that EU bodies' and member states' 💶money may be going into funding the spyware industry,” says @accessnow.org's @natynettle.bsky.social. “This in turn breeds corruption and abuse. There should be strict scrutiny applied to these types of investments.”

⚖️ 🔍 My new op-ed for @justsecurity.org + @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social about the opportunities & dangers of discovery in U.S. spyware litigation

Spoke to @businessinsider.com about Russia's wide-scale internet shutdowns and their devastating effect on the regular people and the country's digital economy. www.businessinsider.com/russia-econo...

⚖️ An important ECtHR ruling that some may have missed: The Court ruled that Russia breached Free Expression rights by imposing excessive fines on Google for failure to remove YouTube channels & videos critical of the gov + suspending sanctioned pro-gov Tsargrad TV accounts

Das israelische Staatstrojaner-Unternehmen Paragon hat auch eine GmbH in Deutschland. Die Bundesregierung verweigert eine Antwort, ob deutsche Behörden mit diesen Firmen in Kontakt sind. Gefragt hatte ‪@donatavogtschmidt.bsky.social‬. dserver.bundestag.de/btd/21/004/2...

Incredible news!

In Belarus, the husband of opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya,Syarhey, has been released,along with several other prisoners They had been sentenced following the attempted overthrow of Lukashenko in 2020 Their release coincided with the visit of Kellogg to Belarus

Russian hackers continue targeting civil society with phishing. Excellent new investigation by @citizenlab.ca and Google uncovers sophisticated phishing attack against prominent Russia expert Keir Giles. The hackers were impersonating US State Department. citizenlab.ca/2025/06/russ...