2025 Journalist Deaths in Palestine: 128 Media Workers Killed Globally in Deadliest Year

128 journalists and media workers lost their lives in 2025, turning the pursuit of truth into a lethal endeavor. According to a new report from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Middle East remains the most dangerous region, accounting for 74 deaths—more than half of the global total.

2025 Journalist Deaths in Palestine and the Middle East Crisis

According to Reuters, Palestine was the deadliest place to work in 2025, with 56 media professionals killed. The IFJ highlighted the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif on August 10, 2025, as an emblematic tragedy. He was killed alongside several colleagues during an Israeli strike on a media tent outside Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital.

The violence extended to Yemen, where an Israeli strike in early September on the 26 September newspaper office claimed the lives of 13 staff members. Other major tolls were recorded in Ukraine (8 deaths) and Sudan (6 deaths), illustrating the global scale of the crisis.

Imprisonment Surge in China and Europe

While deaths reached record highs, imprisonment became a primary tool of repression in other regions. China and Hong Kong led the world in detentions, with 143 journalists behind bars. Myanmar (49) and Vietnam (37) followed closely.

In Europe, the number of imprisoned journalists jumped to 149, a 40% increase from the previous year. The IFJ attributed this spike to intensified crackdowns in Russia and Azerbaijan. General Secretary Anthony Bellanger warned that these figures represent a "global crisis" of impunity.