At least 128 journalists were killed around the world in 2025, with more than half of the deaths recorded in the Middle East, according to a new report released on Thursday by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
The figure represents an increase from 2024 and has been described by the IFJ as a serious warning to the global community. Speaking to AFP, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said the rising death toll should be seen as more than just numbers.
“This is not just a statistic; it is a global red alert for our colleagues,” Bellanger said.
The federation expressed deep concern over the situation in the Palestinian territories, where it documented the deaths of 56 media professionals in 2025 amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
According to Bellanger, the scale and intensity of the killings are unprecedented.
“We’ve never seen anything like this — so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” he said.
Beyond Gaza, journalists were also killed in conflict zones and high-risk regions including Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, and India, highlighting the growing dangers faced by media workers worldwide.
Bellanger strongly condemned what he described as widespread impunity for crimes against journalists, warning that the lack of accountability only fuels further attacks.
“Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he said.
In addition to the rising death toll, the IFJ revealed that 533 journalists are currently imprisoned globally, a number that has more than doubled over the past five years.
China once again emerged as the world’s leading jailer of journalists, with 143 reporters behind bars, including those detained in Hong Kong. Authorities in the territory have faced sustained criticism from Western governments over the use of national security laws to suppress dissent and press freedom.
The IFJ noted that its fatality figures are typically higher than those reported by other press freedom organisations due to differences in methodology. The 2025 count also includes nine accidental deaths involving journalists.
By comparison, Reporters Without Borders reported that 67 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2025, while UNESCO placed the figure at 93.
The IFJ warned that unless stronger protections, accountability measures, and political will are enforced globally, journalists will continue to pay the ultimate price for doing their jobs.
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