IFJ Reports 128 Journalists Killed Worldwide in 2025, Warns of Persistent Impunity
Since launching its annual Killing List in 1990, the IFJ has recorded 3,173 journalist deaths worldwide—an average of 91 per year—with 876 killings reported over the past decade alone.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – At least 128 journalists and media workers, including 10 women, were killed worldwide in 2025, according to the International Federation of Journalists’ (IFJ) final Killing List released on December 31. The figure includes nine accidental deaths, marking another deadly year for the profession and prompting renewed calls for stronger protection of media workers.
In a statement accompanying the report, the IFJ condemned the continued failure of authorities to safeguard journalists and urged governments to take immediate and decisive action in 2026 to break the cycle of violence and impunity targeting the media.
The final tally reflects 17 additional cases confirmed after December 10, when the IFJ released a preliminary list documenting 111 killings, including one accidental death. The newly confirmed cases include fatalities in Palestine, Tanzania, Peru, and Guatemala, as well as the accidental deaths of seven media workers in Nigeria, one in Burundi, and one in Iran.
Since launching its annual Killing List in 1990, the IFJ has recorded 3,173 journalist deaths worldwide—an average of 91 per year—with 876 killings reported over the past decade alone.
Alongside the fatalities, the Federation also released its annual prison census, reporting 533 journalists currently jailed worldwide. China remains the world’s largest jailer of journalists, according to the IFJ.
For the third consecutive year, the Middle East and Arab World emerged as the deadliest region for journalists. A total of 74 media workers were killed in the region in 2025, including 56 in Palestine, accounting for 58 percent of all journalist deaths globally. Yemen ranked second with 13 fatalities, followed by Ukraine with eight. Sudan reported six deaths, while India and Peru each recorded four. Several other countries—including the Philippines, Mexico, Peru, and Pakistan-have each lost three journalists.
The IFJ said the figures underscore the extreme risks faced by journalists in conflict zones and crisis-hit regions, while highlighting the urgent need to bring perpetrators to justice and strengthen international mechanisms for the protection of media professionals.
In comparison, the IFJ documented 122 journalist deaths in 2024, including 14 women, along with 516 imprisoned journalists worldwide.