Journalist deaths reach new high in 2025 — CPJ
Deutsche Welle
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A record-breaking year for journalist deaths in 2025 has raised alarms about press safety worldwide. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a total of 129 journalists and media workers were killed, marking the deadliest year on record since the organization began tracking such data over three decades ago. The majority of these fatalities occurred in conflict zones, with two-thirds attributed to Israeli forces, including 86 deaths in Gaza, mostly Palestinian reporters. While Israel denies targeting journalists intentionally, the numbers paint a grim picture of press freedom under threat.
The surge in journalist killings highlights the dangerous environment faced by reporters in conflict areas like Ukraine and Sudan, where the number of fatalities also increased compared to previous years. Additionally, the use of drones in attacks has surged, with 39 documented cases—28 involving Israeli forces in Gaza, five from Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, and four from Russian military drones in Ukraine. These developments underscore an alarming trend in how modern warfare is increasingly targeting media workers.
Outside conflict zones, journalist safety remains precarious. In Mexico, six journalists were killed last year with no perpetrators identified, while other countries like Bangladesh, India, and Peru saw journalists targeted for investigating crime-related issues. In Saudi Arabia, the execution of prominent columnist Turki al-Jasser marked a significant escalation in the repression of dissenting voices, drawing comparisons to the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
The lack of transparent investigations into these killings has only exacerbated concerns about accountability. With 329 journalists still imprisoned and 84 reported missing as of December 2025, the global press freedom landscape continues to deteriorate. As CEO Jodie Ginsberg emphasized, “Journalists are being killed in record numbers at a time when access to information is more important than ever.” This alarming trend not only endangers journalists but also threatens the democratic principle of an informed public.
The CPJ’s report serves as a stark reminder that press freedom is under severe threat worldwide. As conflicts escalate and authoritarian regimes tighten their grip on dissent, the need for transparency and accountability in journalist deaths becomes more urgent than ever. The global community must act to protect journalists, ensuring they can safely report on critical issues without fear
Verticals
worldpolitics
Originally published on Deutsche Welle on 2/25/2026