Hong Kong’s authorities have initiated what they claim to be “random” tax audits targeting journalists and media organizations, in a move that the industry union alleges intensifies pressure on already dwindling press freedoms. The president of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, Selina Cheng, articulated what she described as “unusual” and “unjustified” allegations made by Hong Kong’s inland revenue department during a press conference. Audits were allegedly conducted on the association, at least eight independent media outlets, and around 20 journalists and their family members, including Cheng herself and her parents.
Cheng highlighted that the tax department informed a journalist they needed to pay tax on the profit of a company they do not operate, using a non-existent registration number. Another company was audited for profits purportedly made before its establishment. One journalist had their income assessed at double what they actually earned, leading to a demand for payment of tax on the “underreported” amount.
“Is the average journalist equipped to hire an auditor to deal with this?” Cheng questioned. “We worry that these tax investigations will inflict financial and mental strain on media workers, impede our reporting, and divert our focus from our journalistic responsibilities.”
In addition to these audits, media outlets InMedia HK and the English-language Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP), along with its founder, Tom Grundy, were also subjected to scrutiny. Despite being “randomly” chosen for a seven-year audit in 2024, HKFP maintains it has consistently fulfilled its tax obligations and kept meticulous records since its inception in 2015. Grundy remarked on X that the outlet had expected such actions and been diligent in its record-keeping and financial transparency, lamenting how he was spending his time on compliance rather than journalistic work.
Aleksandra Bielakowska, advocacy manager at Reporters Without Borders Asia-Pacific, stated that Hong Kong and Chinese authorities are striving to close remaining media outlets, ensuring only a narrative aligns with the Chinese Communist party’s viewpoint. “If they can’t imprison people, they will pressure them and their families to discourage or prevent them from covering the news.”
Honest media in Hong Kong has faced escalating pressure and persecution following the government’s crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, which introduced a Beijing-designed national security law. Several outlets have been forced to close or move, such as Apple Daily and Stand News. The latter’s two former editors were imprisoned for sedition recently.
In an effort to silence the press, there has been a campaign of “systemic and organized” harassment including death threats, threatening letters, and defamatory complaints sent to journalists’ families and employers, as well as their landlords and neighbors. Hong Kong’s standing in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index dropped to 140 out of 180 countries, down from 80 in 2021.
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) stated they do not comment on individual cases but insisted that “the industry or background of a taxpayer has no influence on these reviews.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/22/hong-kong-authorities-disrupt-independent-press-inland-revenue-tax-audits
