128 journalists killed worldwide in 2025, says IFJ

A total of 128 journalists were killed worldwide in 2025, with more than half of the deaths recorded in the Middle East, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

In a statement issued on Thursday, the global press body described the figure as an increase compared to the previous year and warned that the rising death toll highlighted growing dangers faced by media workers.

“This is not just a statistic; it is a global red alert,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said, calling for greater protection of journalists and accountability for attacks against them.

The IFJ reported that 56 journalists and media professionals were killed in the Palestinian territories in 2025, largely during Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. Bellanger said the scale and concentration of fatalities in the region were unprecedented.

Journalists were also killed in several other countries during the year, including Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru and India.

The organisation further raised concerns over what it described as widespread impunity, warning that a lack of justice for crimes against journalists encourages further attacks.

In addition to killings, the IFJ said that 533 journalists were imprisoned globally at the end of 2025 — more than double the figure recorded five years ago. China topped the list with 143 journalists behind bars, including cases in Hong Kong, where authorities have faced criticism from Western countries over the enforcement of national security laws.

The IFJ noted that its fatality count is typically higher than that of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) due to differing methodologies and that its 2025 figure included nine accidental deaths.

RSF, in its own assessment, said 67 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2025, adding that Israel was responsible for nearly half of those deaths, with 29 Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza.