Hong Kong Media Outlets Targeted in Tax Audits

The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) has reported that at least eight independent media outlets, along with about 20 journalists and their family members, are being targeted by tax audits in Hong Kong. The Inland Revenue Department has demanded significant backdated tax payments and prepayments, sometimes treating all bank deposits as income and assigning incorrect business registration numbers. Some demands relate to periods before companies existed, and audits have extended to journalists' relatives, compounding stress on the media community. The HKJA characterizes the audits as error-ridden, lacking justification, and part of a coordinated crackdown on the independent press. Authorities deny targeting by profession and say procedures are standard, but media organizations argue the actions threaten press freedom amid ongoing political pressure since the 2019 protests. The situation has intensified concerns about the sustainability of a free and independent press in Hong Kong.