A total of 128 journalists were killed around the world in 2025, with more than half of the deaths occurring in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists announced Thursday. The toll represents an increase from 2024 and reflects a particularly deadly year for media professionals, especially in conflict zones. The press group recorded 56 media professionals killed in the Palestinian territories as Israel’s war with Hamas continued in Gaza, with journalists also killed in Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, India and elsewhere. “We’ve never seen anything like this: so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said of the Palestinian situation.
The grim statistics prompted urgent warnings from press freedom advocates about global threats to journalism. “This is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” Bellanger told AFP, condemning what he called “impunity” for those behind the attacks. “Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he warned. The IFJ also reported that 533 journalists were currently imprisoned worldwide, more than double the number from five years ago, with China topping the list with 143 reporters behind bars. The organization’s death toll, which included nine accidental deaths, exceeded counts from Reporters Without Borders and UNESCO due to different counting methods.