The International Federation of Journalists reported 128 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, with the Middle East accounting for 74 of those deaths and Palestine the hardest hit country (56 fatalities). The IFJ singled out the August 10 strike that killed Al Jazeera's Anas al-Sharif and colleagues and an early-September strike on Yemen's "26 September" newspaper that killed 13 staff. Nine deaths were ruled accidental and several others were described as targeted killings. The report also noted a sharp rise in journalist detentions, especially in China/Hong Kong and parts of Europe.
IFJ Report: Palestine The Deadliest Place For Journalists In 2025 — 128 Killed Worldwide
A woman displays a memorial sign of slain Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif as people demonstrate, during a general strike called by Spanish unions in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Madrid, Spain, October 15, 2025 [Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters]
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says 2025 was one of the deadliest years on record for media professionals: the union recorded 128 journalists and media workers killed worldwide, with Palestine the single country that suffered the highest national toll.
Key Findings
- Total deaths: 128 journalists and media workers killed in 2025, according to the IFJ.
- Regional distribution: The Middle East accounted for 74 deaths — more than half the global total — followed by Africa (18), Asia Pacific (15), the Americas (11) and Europe (10).
- National hotspots: 56 Palestinian media professionals were killed; Yemen recorded 13 deaths; Ukraine 8; and Sudan 6.
The IFJ highlighted several high-profile and deadly incidents. It described the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif as particularly emblematic: Al-Sharif, 28, was killed on August 10 when Israeli forces struck a media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital near Gaza City. The strike also killed Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, freelance camera operator Momen Aliwa and freelance journalist Mohammed al-Khalidi, the IFJ said.
The union also cited an early-September strike on the office of Yemen's Houthi-affiliated "26 September" newspaper as "one of the worst-ever attacks on a media office," reporting 13 journalists and media staff killed and more than 20 other fatalities.
Of the deaths recorded globally, the IFJ said nine were classified as accidents. Several others were described as targeted killings related to journalists' work, including two journalists in Syria and two in Iran.
Detentions and Press Freedom
While the Middle East was the deadliest region for killings, the Asia Pacific detained the largest number of journalists in 2025. China and Hong Kong together accounted for 143 imprisoned journalists, followed by 49 in Myanmar and 37 in Vietnam. Europe also saw a sharp rise in detentions: the IFJ recorded 149 journalists imprisoned in Europe — up about 40% from the previous year — and attributed much of that increase to intensified repression in Azerbaijan and Russia.
"128 journalists killed in a single year is not just a statistic; it is a global crisis. These deaths are a brutal reminder that journalists are being targeted with impunity, simply for doing their job," IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said.
The IFJ called for independent investigations and stronger international measures to protect reporters and hold perpetrators to account. The union warned that the scale of the violence and the rise in detentions represents a serious threat to press freedom and the public's right to information.
