CPJ Reports 129 Journalists and Media Workers Killed Worldwide in 2025

The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that at least 129 journalists and media workers were killed globally in 2025, marking one of the deadliest years for the press in recent times.

According to the CPJ report cited by Agence France-Presse on February 25, nearly two-thirds of the deaths were attributed to Israel, with more than 60 percent of those killed being Palestinians covering developments in Gaza. The Israeli military stated that journalists were not deliberately targeted.

The report indicated that over three-quarters of the killings occurred in the context of armed conflict. CPJ documented 39 drone attacks on journalists, including 28 attributed to Israel in Gaza and five linked to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

In Ukraine, four journalists were killed in Russian military drone strikes, the highest annual toll there since 15 media workers were killed in 2022. CPJ warned that the increasing use of drones has raised risks for reporters in war zones.

Journalists were also killed outside conflict areas, including in Mexico, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh and Peru, often while covering corruption and organized crime.

CPJ Executive Director Jodie Ginsberg stated that the lack of transparent investigations and a culture of impunity are placing journalists at greater risk. "When journalists are killed for their work, everyone’s right to information is threatened," she said.

The findings underscore growing dangers for the press worldwide and calls for stronger accountability mechanisms to protect journalists in both conflict and non-conflict environments.