IFJ says 128 journalists killed in 2025; Pakistan among countries of concern

The International Federation of Journalists said 128 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, mostly in conflict zones such as the Middle East and Ukraine, and warned that Pakistan also emerged as a concern, with three journalists among those killed during the year.

The Brussels-based organization released its annual report describing a worsening global crisis in journalist safety, driven by wars, civil conflicts and targeted attacks on reporters.

The IFJ said the total included 10 women journalists and nine accidental deaths, marking the third straight year in which conflicts sharply increased the risks faced by media workers.

Conflict zones drive global toll

The Middle East and Arab World recorded the highest toll, with 74 journalists killed, accounting for 58% of all deaths. Africa followed with 18 fatalities, Asia-Pacific with 15, the Americas with 11, and Europe with 10.

Palestine was the deadliest place for journalists in 2025, with 56 media workers killed, many in targeted attacks during the ongoing Gaza conflict, the report said.

Yemen reported 13 deaths, including journalists killed in an Israeli army strike on a newspaper office.

Other high-risk countries included Ukraine, where eight journalists were killed, often in drone strikes, and Sudan, where six died amid violence linked to the civil war.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said the deaths were “a brutal reminder that journalists are being targeted with impunity, simply for doing their job.”

He urged governments to better protect media workers and called for the adoption of a United Nations convention to safeguard press freedom.

The report said journalists continue to be killed after being caught in crossfire or through deliberate attacks, with impunity remaining widespread.

Pakistan flagged as safety concern

In the Asia-Pacific region, Pakistan emerged as a concern, with three journalists among those killed during the year, the IFJ said.

One of them was Abdul Latif Baloch, a 55-year-old reporter affiliated with Daily Intekhab, Aaj News and ARY News. He was shot dead on May 24 after unidentified gunmen broke into his home around 3 a.m. in Mashkay, in Balochistan’s Awaran district.

Baloch was killed in front of his wife and children and suffered four bullet wounds from AK-47 rifles. He was known for reporting on human rights abuses, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in the restive region.

Rights groups, including the Baloch Yakjehti Committee, alleged his killing was part of a “kill and dump” policy by state-backed militias aimed at silencing dissent. Police launched an investigation, but no arrests were reported by year’s end.

Another case involved Khawar Hussain, a Karachi-based correspondent for Dawn News, who was found dead in his vehicle on August 16 in Sanghar, his hometown in Sindh province.

A three-member probe panel later concluded Hussain died by suicide, citing CCTV footage, forensic matches and call records. His family disputed the findings, and a second autopsy ordered at their request did not change the official verdict.

The third killing was that of Imtiaz Mir, a 40-year-old anchor for Metro 1 News, who died after being critically injured in a targeted gun attack in Karachi’s Malir district in September.

Authorities said four suspects linked to the banned Zainabiyoun Brigade were arrested and confessed to killing Mir over his past visit to Israel and subsequent broadcasts. His death prompted widespread condemnation from journalists’ unions.

The IFJ said its latest tally brings the total number of journalists killed since 1990 to 3,173, with 876 deaths recorded in the past decade alone.