In an extra problem Freedom of the press in Hong KongThe federal government companies have focused quite a few impartial media with simultaneous tax assessments. Chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Affiliation (HKJA) Selina Cheng the information divided in a press convention on Wednesday. The Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP), one of many organizations concerned within the inspection, reported on The broad spectrum of destinations, including family members of journalists:
The impartial information sector from Hong Kong, together with firms, staff and relations, are additionally confronted with management assessments and backdated necessities, the Hong Kong Journalist’s Affiliation (HKJA) stated on Wednesday. The state of affairs mirrored a deterioration in press freedom, they stated.
Head of HKJA Selina Cheng stated at a press convention that not less than six information companies – together with Inmedia, The Witness, Renews, Boomhead, Hong Kong Free Press and an outlet that had refused to obtain the tax necessities of the inspections of the home Income Division (IRD).
A complete of 20 folks related to the impartial media business are additionally confronted with related probes and tax necessities, stated Cheng.
In line with the Press Union, 12 of you’re heads, board members or shareholders of the information companies involved. Two freelance journalists, two spouses of reports firms, an worker of a media firm and each mother and father of the HKja boss, are additionally thought of. [Source]
The home Income Division accused the focused shops and other people to not correctly report their revenue, and based on Cheng, who referred to as the claims “Unreasonable” and without sufficient evidence. The HKFP revealed A The explanation with the inscription “has always fulfilled his tax obligations, IRD claims paid immediately and ensured careful records” And questioned whether or not the federal government inspections had been acceptable use of the tax workplace’s assets. The reason discovered that the therapy of the examination “has derived assets, employees and funds from journalism if we’re within the fourth yr of the monetary deficit”. RFA highlighted Cheng’s claim that there are numerous mistakes in the state audits:
“For small branches like ours, this can be a critical status assault. If tax evasion is accused, it’s defamation. The frequent examination of journalists and media organizations by the authorities creates concern and throws a shadow in regards to the freedom of the press in Hong Kong,” stated Selina Cheng, the chairman of the affiliation, to a press convention.
[β¦] In line with Cheng, audits are interspersed with errors and irregularities. Examples are the calls for to pay revenue tax for years earlier than an organization has been arrange. Allocation of company registration numbers to people with out registered outlets; And incorrectly deal with all financial institution deposits as taxable revenue. In some instances, folks had been checked as spouses, though they weren’t married at the moment or as relations, although they didn’t declare allowances.
Cheng stated that the Income Division imposed “preventive sentences with out correctly”. She stated many journalists solely had restricted revenue and assets to defend themselves. [Source]
βPress Freedom doesn’t solely imply the flexibility for media and journalists to function safely and bodily … It also means the business environmentwhether or not it’s sustainable so that you can function ” Freeze the company’s bank accounts.) As Tiffany Could reported for the New York Instances, The disturbing effects of these official investigations appear part of a deliberate strategy:
Thomas Kellogg, the manager director of the Georgetown Heart for Asian Regulation, stated that administrative harassment might be an efficient strategy to maintain the remaining branches which have managed to not exceed pink strains that could possibly be uncovered to nationwide safety or sedition legal guidelines. Such opinions “function a reminiscence of the media that it’s a must to watch what you say and that the federal government has alternatives to take a seat again on the reporting,” he stated.
Damon Wong, the director and editor -in -chief of INMEDIA, stated {that a} tax examination of impartial information company led to a very long time and assets. In 2024 he appeared in court docket and paid a advantageous of round 1,250 US {dollars} as a result of he didn’t maintain a bodily copy of the company register in his workplace.
Tom Grundy, the founding father of the Hong Kong Free Press, an English-language on-line outlet, additionally stated that she needed to maintain the time, assets and cash from masking the messages as a result of they had been checked by the tax and different departments.
Final yr, the authorities, which the outlet described as “false complaints”, examined, together with the claims {that a} sizzling sauce, which she bought as a fundraiser, got here from a non -licensed meals manufacturing unit and that Mr. Grundy’s pet canine was lacking a license and rabies pictures. Each instances had been closed after he had introduced proof, stated Mr. Grundy. [Source]
Final September the HKja revealed one “systematic and organized attackβIn opposition to reporter of not less than 13 native media. This annoyance marketing campaign comprised demise threats and defamatory content material despatched to journalists, in addition to threats for 15 journalist relations, landlords and employers. The worldwide correspondent membership from Hong Kongs Press Freedom Survey for 2025 It additionally discovered that 12 of its members had skilled interference of their work up to now 18 months. Partly because of these developments, the 2025 World Press Freedom Index in Hong Kong, revealed in Hong Kong at the start of this month In the “red zone” For the primary time when it fell right into a historic low rating. On the press Freedom Day at the start of this month, the HKja began a venture with the title Media 360With a complete timeline of the press frame-fried occasions between 2021 and 2025 and a listing of 49 journalists who had been arrested, and dozens of rising media in Hong Kong.
