The world witnessed another devastating year for press freedom in 2025, with 128 journalists and media workers losing their lives while performing their duties, according to figures released by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on 31 December.
The death toll, which includes 10 women and nine accidental deaths, represents a grim milestone in what the IFJ describes as a global crisis of impunity and violence against the press. The figures bring the total number of journalist deaths recorded by the organisation since 1990 to 3 173.
Middle East emerges as deadliest region
For the third consecutive year, the Middle East proved the most dangerous region for journalists, accounting for 74 deaths – 58% of the global total. Palestinian journalists bore the brunt of this violence, with 56 killed amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The year’s most harrowing incident occurred on 10 August, when Al Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif and five other media workers were killed in a targeted attack on a tent housing journalists near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Yemen suffered its own tragedy when an Israeli military strike on the offices of the ’26 September’ newspaper claimed 13 lives, marking one of the worst-ever attacks on media offices.
Beyond direct violence, 74 journalists remain imprisoned across the region, with Israel holding 41 Palestinian journalists, Egypt detaining 15, and Yemen holding 11.
Asia-Pacific leads in journalist imprisonment
Fifteen journalists were killed across the Asia-Pacific region, including four in India, three each in Pakistan and the Philippines, and two in Bangladesh. The brutal murder of Indian journalist Mukesh Chandrakar on January 1 shocked the industry. He was beaten to death with an iron bar and his body discovered in a septic tank, allegedly in retaliation for his reporting.
The region holds the disturbing distinction of imprisoning more journalists than anywhere else in the world. China, including Hong Kong, currently detains 143 media professionals, making it the world’s largest jailer of journalists. Myanmar follows with 49 imprisoned, and Vietnam with 37. In total, 277 journalists are behind bars across the Asia-Pacific.
European conflict takes its toll
Europe recorded 10 journalist deaths this year, marking the third time in a decade the continent has seen such high casualties. Eight journalists were killed in Ukraine and one each in Russia and Turkey as the Russia-Ukraine war continued to claim media lives.
A disturbing new trend emerged in the conflict zone: the deliberate targeting of journalists with drones. Ukrainian journalists Olena Hramova, Yevhen Karmazin and Tetyana Kulyk were killed by Russian drones, as was French reporter Antoni Lallican. Russian journalist Ivan Zuev also reportedly died in a drone attack.
European journalist imprisonment has surged nearly 40% to 149, the highest figure since 2018, driven largely by increased repression in Azerbaijan and Russia.
Africa and Americas face continuing threats
Sudan remained the epicenter of journalist killings in Africa, with six of the continent’s nine deaths. Since civil war erupted in April 2023, journalists covering the conflict have been deliberately targeted, particularly by the Rapid Support Forces. Single deaths were also recorded in Mozambique, Somalia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Seven Nigerian media workers died in a car accident, which the IFJ classified as non-work-related.
In the Americas, 11 journalists were killed, with Peru experiencing a particularly alarming spike. Four journalists were murdered in Peru alone, a shocking development for a country that had seen no fatal crimes against journalists for nearly a decade. Mexico recorded three killings, while Colombia, Honduras and Ecuador each saw one death.
Call for international action
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger issued an urgent call for global intervention in response to the 2025 figures.
“128 journalists killed in a single year is not just a statistic, it is a global crisis,” Bellanger said. “These deaths are a brutal reminder that journalists are being targeted with impunity, simply for doing their job.”
Bellanger demanded that governments take immediate action to protect media workers, prosecute those responsible for killings, and uphold press freedom. He called for the establishment of a United Nations convention to guarantee the safety and independence of journalists worldwide.
With 533 journalists currently imprisoned globally—up from 516 in 2024—the federation’s year-end report paints a sobering picture of the dangers facing those who seek to inform the public and hold power to account.
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