No fewer than 128 journalists were reportedly killed across the world in 2025, with more than half of the fatalities recorded in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has said.
Naijaonpoint reports that the figure, which represents an increase compared to 2024, was described by the global press body as a disturbing signal of the growing dangers faced by media professionals.
Speaking on Thursday, January 1, 2026, the IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said the rising death toll should be seen as a wake-up call for governments and the international community.
“This grim toll is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” Bellanger told AFP.
The IFJ expressed particular 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 speed of the deaths in the territory 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 group noted that the intensity of the conflict and the conditions under which journalists operate in Gaza have made reporting exceptionally dangerous.
While the Middle East accounted for the largest share of deaths, the IFJ said journalists were also killed in other parts of the world, including Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru and India.
The federation said the figures underscore that threats to press freedom and journalists’ safety are not limited to conflict zones alone but are part of a wider global crisis.
Bellanger condemned what he described as a 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 globally.
According to the organisation, at least 533 journalists are currently in detention worldwide, a figure that has more than doubled over the past five years.
China once 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 accused of stifling dissent and press freedom.
The IFJ noted that its count of journalists killed is usually higher than that of other press freedom organisations due to differences in methodology.
The 2025 tally, the group said, included nine journalists who died in accidents.
By comparison, Reporters Without Borders said 67 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2025, while the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation put the figure at 93.
Despite the varying numbers, press freedom advocates agree that 2025 ranks among the deadliest years for journalists in recent history, reinforcing calls for stronger protections, accountability and an end to impunity for crimes against media professionals.