International Desk

Nearly six out of every seven journalist killings worldwide go unpunished, with global impunity rising for the first time in more than a decade, while the increasing use of drones has emerged as a new threat to journalists reporting from conflict zones, according to a latest report by UNESCO.

“Journalists are increasingly paying with their lives for reporting from the frontlines of war and far too often those responsible for their killings are not held accountable,” said UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany.

UNESCO, the UN's cultural organisation, said the rate of impunity for journalist killings reached 86 percent in 2024-2025, up one percentage point from the previous two-year period.

A total of 189 journalists and other media workers were confirmed killed during the 2024-2025 period, marking a 20 percent increase from the previous biennium and the highest figure since 2014-2015.

Of them, 127, or 67 percent, were killed in conflict zones.

The findings were published in the Director-General’s Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity, released every two years to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, observed on November 2.

In a message marking the day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at least 34 journalists had been killed over the past year, with six out of every seven such killings going unpunished.

In conflict zones, the impunity rate was close to 100 percent, he said.

Guterres described the failure to bring those responsible to justice as a grave affront to victims, their families and everyone who relies on journalists for information.

Killings recorded across regions

The report said journalist killings during 2024-2025 were recorded in all regions of the world, making impunity a global concern.

The Arab States recorded the highest number of verified killings at 97, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean with 37, Asia-Pacific with 34, Central and Eastern Europe with 14, Africa with six, and Western Europe and North America with one.

The State of Palestine recorded the highest number of journalist killings in both years, with 30 in 2024 and 32 in 2025.

Drones emerge as new threat

UNESCO identified the growing use of drones to kill journalists as a disturbing new threat.
During 2024-2025, drone strikes killed 50 journalists, accounting for 40 percent of all journalist deaths in conflict zones.

The report documented seven incidents in which multiple journalists were killed in single attacks, including strikes on media offices and temporary reporting centres.

Fifteen journalists were reportedly killed while wearing press vests or travelling in vehicles clearly marked with the word 'Press'.

El-Enany called for compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2222, unanimously adopted in 2015, which recognises journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians entitled to protection during armed conflicts.

He also referred to the commitment reaffirmed in the Pact for the Future.

Progress in non-conflict countries

The report also highlighted some progress, noting that impunity for journalist killings in countries not experiencing conflict has continued to decline.

The rate fell from 94 percent in 2012 to 77 percent in 2026, representing an average annual reduction of one percentage point.

The number of journalists killed in non-conflict zones stood at 85, the lowest figure in 18 years.
UNESCO said the progress demonstrated that improvements were possible when governments invested in investigations, prosecutions and measures to protect journalists.

Women journalists face particular risks

The report also highlighted the specific threats faced by women journalists, both in conflict zones and online.

Of the 14 women journalists killed during 2024-2025, 13 were in countries experiencing armed conflicts.

A 2025 study by UN Women and the International Center for Journalists found that 75 percent of women journalists had experienced online or offline abuse and harassment.

More than 40 percent reported experiencing offline violence linked to online attacks, compared with 20 percent in a UNESCO survey conducted in 2020.

“Across the world, journalists continue to pay an outrageous price for telling the truth,” Guterres said.

Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, he called for justice, warning that attacks on journalists and the silencing of their reporting affect society as a whole.