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By ARTEMIO DUMLAO
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY—Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that 2025 has been “an especially deadly year for journalists, with 67 killed worldwide.”

At least 53 of those deaths were connected to war zones or organized crime, highlighting what the organization describes as a growing climate of violence and impunity against the press, in this year’s round-up report.

Thibaut Bruttin, RSF director general, condemned the global rise in violence against journalists, saying, “the hatred of journalists” has resulted in a high number of reported deaths.

“Not by accident, and they weren’t collateral victims. They were killed, targeted for their work,” he said.

Gaza was the deadliest place for journalists this year, with Israeli forces responsible for nearly half of all killings, it said, while Ukraine also remained dangerous, as Russian forces continued to target both Ukrainian and foreign reporters.

Sudan, facing its own severe conflict, has become another high-risk country where journalists are being killed while covering the fighting, the RSF 2025 round-up also said.

Outside war zones, organised crime remains a major threat.  Mexico recorded nine journalist killings in 2025, making it the second most dangerous country for media workers. 

RSF says violence against journalists is spreading across Latin America, which now accounts for almost a quarter of global journalist murders.

Most journalists killed this year were reporting in their own countries. 

Only two foreign reporters — French photojournalist Antoni Lallican in Ukraine and Salvadorian journalist Javier Hércules in Honduras — died while working abroad. RSF says this highlights the vulnerability of local journalists when covering sensitive issues at home.

“This is where impunity for these crimes leads us: the failure of international organisations that are no longer able to ensure journalists’ right to protection in armed conflicts is the consequence of a global decline in the courage of governments, which should be implementing protective public policies,” Bruttin said.

RSF also warned that the Philippines remains a high-risk country for journalists. At least one journalist, radio presenter Noel Bellen Samar, was killed, and RSF continues to raise concerns about ongoing threats, harassment, and arbitrary detention of media workers. Cases like Frenchie Mae Cumpio, detained for years without conviction, highlight the persistent dangers, it added.

The watchdog report also highlights the extent of journalist imprisonment worldwide. Currently, 503 journalists are detained globally, it added, with China holding the most at 121 imprisoned. Russia follows with 48, including 26 Ukrainians, and Myanmar has 47. 

According to RSF, “many governments continue to use jail as a tool to silence critical reporting.”While Syria continues to have the highest number of missing journalists, many vanished before the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, and their fate remains unknown. The country now accounts for more than a quarter of the world’s missing media workers, RSF noted.”

Bruttin said that journalists are essential witnesses to events, yet have increasingly been treated as targets, bargaining chips, or obstacles to powerful interests. “We must be wary of false notions about reporters: no one gives their lives for journalism — it is taken from them; journalists do not just die — they are killed,” he said, urging action to ensure accountability for crimes against media workers and protections for journalists covering conflicts. #nordis.net