The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has sounded a global alarm over what it describes as an unprecedented wave of violence against the media, revealing that 128 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, a sharp rise from the previous year.
More than half of the fatalities occurred in the Middle East, driven largely by the continuing conflict in Gaza. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger warned that the figures represent far more than grim statistics.
Bellanger said, “This is a global red alert for our profession”, stressing that the scale of killings signals a deepening crisis for press freedom and journalist safety.
The Palestinian territories accounted for the highest single-region death toll, with 56 media professionals killed as Israel’s war with Hamas continued. Bellanger described the losses as “without precedent, so many journalists killed within such a short period and confined geographical area”.
Beyond the Middle East, journalists also lost their lives in conflict zones and volatile environments in Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, India and several other countries, underscoring the widespread nature of the threat.
Bellanger decried what he described as a culture of impunity that allows perpetrators to go unpunished.
He stated, “Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive”, calling for stronger international mechanisms to protect media workers and prosecute those responsible for attacks.
The federation also reported that 533 journalists were behind bars globally, a number that has more than doubled in five years. China remains the world’s leading jailer of journalists, with 143 detained, including several in Hong Kong under sweeping national security laws criticised by Western governments for suppressing dissent.
The IFJ noted that its tally of journalist deaths is typically higher than figures released by other organisations because of broader counting methods and inclusion of accidental deaths, nine of which were recorded in 2025.
By comparison, Reporters Without Borders reported 67 journalists killed in the line of duty during the year, while UNESCO put the number at 93.
The IFJ reiterated its call for governments to prioritise the protection of journalists, warning that continued silence and inaction risk normalising violence against the press worldwide.
