FINAL APPEAL

Ai Weiwei: I Won’t Pay Tax Fine

Lost his final appeal on Thursday.

Activist Chinese artist Ai Weiwei lost his final appeal on Thursday against charges of tax evasion—but he said he would not pay the rest of the $2.4 million fine. Ai’s design company earlier submitted a guarantee that it could pay $1.3 million of the fine, and Ai said he would not pay the difference after it is automatically collected. Ai has accused the tax bureau of intimation in handling witnesses, gathering evidence and company accounts—all against the law. Ai said authorities had violated his rights by refusing to let him know at least three days in advance of the hearing, instead contacting him by phone on Wednesday—and he said authorities have not returned his passport.