Hong Kong authorities trying to disrupt independent press with ‘strange’ tax audits

The tension between journalists' rights and state-imposed repression in Hong Kong has reached new lows as authorities impose "random" tax audits targeting news workers and media outlets, according to Selina Cheng of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. These unfair demands create significant financial and psychological pressure for press freedom advocates and their families, while media outlets like InMedia HK and the Hong Kong Free Press face repeated scrutiny. Meanwhile, the broader implementation of China's national security law has prompted many outlets to close or relocate, raising concerns about its chilling effect on independent journalism in Hong Kong.