National security wanted: Mong Chiu-tat pursued for HK$85,000 in salaries and profits tax; government spokesperson says no comment on individual cases
國安通緝｜蒙兆達被追 8.5 萬薪俸、利得稅 政府發言人：不評論個別個案
The Hong Kong Journalists Association recently announced that several media outlets, journalists and their family members had been pursued by the Inland Revenue Department for taxes, describing the action as “punishment before trial”. After the matter came to light, former League of Social Democrats chairperson Andrew Kwan Hang To also disclosed that he, his company and hosts of his online radio station had all been subjected to tax investigations. Mong Chiu-tat, the former general secretary of the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions who is now in exile in the United Kingdom, has been wanted by the National Security Department with a HK$1 million bounty and designated as an absconder. He disclosed on social media today (23rd) that the Inland Revenue Department was pursuing him for taxes, assessing him as having an annual salary of HK$400,000 and, despite his never having operated a business, business profits of another HK$400,000. He was required to pay a total of HK$85,000 in salaries and profits tax. He criticised the department for fabricating the assessments and described the action as “political persecution”. In response to an inquiry, a government spokesperson said that the Inland Revenue Department did not comment on individual cases. Regarding whether designated absconders could authorise tax representatives to handle such matters, the authorities likewise said they did not comment on individual examples.
記協日前公布多間媒體、記者及家人被稅務局追稅，形容是「未審先罰」。事件曝光後，社民連前主席陶君行亦透露個人、公司及其網台主持同被「查稅」。已流亡英國、被國安處懸紅百萬通緝、列為指明為潛逃者的前職工盟總幹事蒙兆達，今（23日）在社交媒體公開被稅務局「追稅」，追加他 40 萬年薪、又在從沒營商下被追加 40 萬營商利潤，要求他補交共 8.5 萬元薪俸和利得稅，批評稅局無中生有、是「政治迫害」。 政府發言人回應查詢指，稅務局不評論個別個案；至於被指明潛逃者能否授權稅務代表處理事件，當局亦指不評論個別例子。