According to the Press Emblem Campaign, based only on reports up to mid-December 2024, the number of journalists killed worldwide has reached 165 across at least 21 countries. In recent years, journalist deaths have been on the rise; compared with 2023, they have increased by 18%, and, looking at the period since 2006, it is the highest on record. This year saw particularly many casualties in conflict zones in Palestine, but casualties in South Asia, Latin America, and Southeast Asia have also continued. It has also been reported that the number of journalists currently imprisoned stands at 550, up 7.2% from 2023; 55 are being held as hostages, and 95 are missing (Note 1).

In 85% of cases of journalist killings, there is not even criminal prosecution. Meanwhile, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created a “National Safety Mechanisms Repository for Journalists” aimed at protecting journalists and preventing attacks against them. In this repository, one can consult countries’ efforts to safeguard journalists along at least one of three pillars: prevention, protection, and prosecution.

Learn more about the situation facing journalists around the world → “Journalists under threat”

Learn more about repression of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly → “Freedom of expression and assembly in Europe threatened by the Israel–Palestine conflict”

Note 1: Not limited to journalist deaths, statistics on fatalities in conflicts and similar contexts vary depending on research methods and measurement. As of December 24, 2024, the number of journalist deaths reported by the Press Emblem Campaign was 165, the figure reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists was 82, and that reported by Reporters Without Borders was 54. All of the reports indicate how serious the situation is.

Journalists light candles for a colleague killed by Israeli soldiers in Gaza (2022) (Photo: Anas-Mohammed / Shutterstock.com)