128 Journalists Killed Worldwide in 2025, Report Finds

The year 2025 has emerged as one of the deadliest periods in recent history for journalists worldwide, with 128 media professionals losing their lives while carrying out their professional duties. This stark figure was revealed in the annual report of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), published on Thursday, 1 January, from the organisation’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

According to the IFJ, the number of journalists killed in 2025 exceeds that of the previous year, underlining a deeply troubling trend in the global safety of media workers. The report highlights that more than half of the fatalities occurred in the Middle East, a region increasingly characterised by prolonged armed conflict, political instability, and severe restrictions on press freedom.

Gaza at the centre of the crisis

The IFJ report places particular emphasis on the situation in Palestine, describing it as unprecedented in scale and intensity. It states that 56 journalists were killed in Gaza alone in 2025 during Israel’s military campaign, making it the single deadliest location for journalists anywhere in the world during the year.

Commenting on the findings, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger told AFP:

“This figure is not merely a statistic; it is a global red alert for our colleagues everywhere.”

He further noted that the sheer number of journalists killed within such a short timeframe and within such a confined geographical area has no historical precedent. “We have never witnessed the deaths of so many journalists in so small a territory over such a limited period,” Bellanger said.

A culture of impunity

Beyond Palestine, journalists were also killed in Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, and India, among other countries. The IFJ strongly condemned the persistent failure to hold perpetrators accountable, warning that the absence of justice has fostered a culture of impunity. Bellanger cautioned that when attacks on journalists go unpunished, they embolden aggressors and further endanger the press.

The report argues that safeguarding journalists is inseparable from safeguarding democracy, as attacks on the media ultimately erode the public’s right to information.

Rising imprisonment of journalists

In addition to killings, the report draws attention to a sharp rise in the detention and imprisonment of journalists worldwide. The IFJ estimates that 533 journalists are currently behind bars, a figure that has more than doubled over the past five years.

China tops the list of countries detaining journalists, with 143 media workers imprisoned, including many in Hong Kong. Western governments have repeatedly criticised Chinese and Hong Kong authorities for the alleged misuse of national security laws to suppress dissenting voices and independent journalism.

Differing counts, shared concern

The IFJ acknowledged that discrepancies exist among international organisations due to differing methodologies. Its list also includes nine journalists who died in work-related accidents. Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported 67 journalist deaths in 2025, while UNESCO recorded 93 fatalities.

Despite these variations, all organisations agree on one point: journalism has become increasingly dangerous.

Journalist Safety in 2025: Key Figures

The IFJ concluded its report with a renewed call for governments, international bodies, and judicial systems to take urgent action to protect journalists and to ensure accountability for crimes committed against them. Without decisive intervention, it warned, the already fragile state of global press freedom may deteriorate even further.