The latest 2025 assessment from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), released on Tuesday, revealed that 111 journalists lost their lives this year while reporting across the globe.
The publication came just a day before Human Rights Day, marked annually on December 10. The report shows that the Middle East recorded the highest number of deaths, with 69 journalists killed, 51 of those cases happening in Gaza alone.
IFJ President Dominique Pradalié described the situation as alarming, saying: “Journalists’ killings and imprisonment are rising in 2025, and it is deeply shameful to see how little governments around the world are doing to protect them or uphold the basic principles of press freedom. Instead, we are witnessing direct targeting, blatant attempts to silence critical voices, and efforts to control the narrative on matters of public interest. These actions are all in clear violation of international law.”
Africa accounted for nine deaths in total. Sudan remained the deadliest country for journalists on the continent, with six recorded killings. Since conflict erupted in Sudan on 15 April 2023, reporters covering the war have frequently come under attack, particularly from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Additionally, one journalist was killed in Mozambique, another in Somalia, and one more in Zimbabwe.The IFJ report also notes that press workers in Africa continue to face detention on baseless charges. At least 27 journalists remain locked up across the continent, with Eritrea topping the list, holding seven journalists, some detained for more than ten years.
Globally, more than 500 journalists are currently imprisoned.
In Europe, 10 media workers have been killed during 2025; eight in Ukraine, one in Russia and another in Turkey. It marks the third time in a decade that Europe has reached such a high death count among journalists, previously seen in 2015 during the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris and again in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This year, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine continues to be especially deadly, claiming the lives of nine journalists.
