By Correspondent.
At least,128 journalists were killed worldwide in 2025, with more than half of the fatalities recorded in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has revealed.
The organization said the figure, which marks an increase from 2024, was described by the global press body as a disturbing signal of the escalating dangers faced by media professionals across the world.
In his speech on Thursday, January 1, 2026, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said the rising death toll should serve as a wake-up call to governments and the international community.
“This grim toll is not just a statistic; it is a global red alert for our colleagues,” Bellanger told AFP.
The IFJ expressed grave concern over the situation in the Palestinian territories, where it documented the killing of 56 journalists in 2025 amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
According to the federation, the scale and pace of the deaths were unprecedented.
“We’ve never seen anything like this, so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” Bellanger said.
The federation noted that the intensity of the conflict and the harsh conditions under which journalists operate in Gaza have made reporting exceptionally dangerous.
While the Middle East accounted for the highest number of deaths, the IFJ said journalists were also killed in other parts of the world, including Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru and India.
The organisation stressed that the figures highlight a broader global crisis, showing that threats to press freedom and journalists’ safety are not confined to conflict zones.
Bellanger condemned what he described as a prevailing culture of impunity surrounding attacks on journalists.
“Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he warned.
Beyond killings, the IFJ also raised alarm over the growing number of journalists imprisoned worldwide. According to the organisation, at least 533 journalists are currently in detention globally — a figure that has more than doubled in the past five years.
China again topped the list of countries jailing journalists, with 143 reporters behind bars, including those detained in Hong Kong. Authorities in the territory have faced sustained criticism from Western nations over national security laws widely accused of stifling dissent and press freedom.
The IFJ noted that its death toll is often higher than that of other press freedom organisations due to differences in methodology. The 2025 count, it said, included nine journalists who died in accidents.
By comparison, Reporters Without Borders recorded 67 journalists killed in the line of duty in 2025, while the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) put the figure at 93.
Despite the varying statistics, press freedom advocates agree that 2025 ranks among the deadliest years for journalists in recent history, intensifying calls for stronger protections, accountability and an end to impunity for crimes against media professionals.
Naija news.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
