The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has released its final 2025 Killed List, confirming that 128 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide last year, including 10 women and nine deaths classified as accidental.

The updated toll, published on 31 December, reflects 17 additional cases confirmed since the preliminary count earlier in December, underscoring the persistent dangers facing media workers globally.

For the third consecutive year, the Middle East and Arab World was the deadliest region for journalists, accounting for 58 % of all fatalities. Of the 74 media workers killed there, 56 occurred in Palestine amid ongoing conflict, making it one of the most perilous environments for reporting. Yemen was the second-most lethal country in the region, followed by Ukraine, which recorded eight deaths.

Other regions also recorded alarming figures. In Africa, nine journalists were killed in targeted attacks, with additional deaths from accidents, particularly in Nigeria. The Americas reported 11 fatalities, notably in Peru and Mexico, while Europe saw 10 deaths, many linked to the war in Ukraine. The Asia-Pacific region recorded 15 killings, including violent attacks on journalists in India and Pakistan.

Beyond fatalities, the IFJ highlighted ongoing threats to press freedom, releasing a separate list showing 533 journalists imprisoned worldwide. China remains the largest jailer of journalists, reflecting another facet of the global crisis.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger described the numbers as a “global crisis,” warning that the deaths are not just statistics but stark evidence of the failure to protect media workers. He called on governments and international bodies to take urgent action to end violence against journalists and to ensure accountability in 2026.