189 Journalists Killed Over Two Years

A staggering 189 journalists were killed worldwide during 2024 and 2025, while 86 percent of all journalist killings recorded since 2006 remain unresolved or abandoned, exposing a persistent failure by global authorities to bring perpetrators to justice.

The alarming figures were released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 2, 2026. The report underscores the growing dangers facing media practitioners globally and the severe lack of legal accountability for violent crimes committed against them.

According to UNESCO, the high rate of impunity raises deep concerns about the independence, resources, and overall effectiveness of judicial investigations worldwide.

The findings coincide with the observance of the 2026 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, marked this year under the theme “Threats Evolve. Impunity Endures.”

The theme highlights how intimidation tactics have modernized, with journalists increasingly targeted through online harassment and technology-facilitated gender-based abuse. Female journalists face a disproportionate amount of these digital attacks.

Beyond digital intimidation, non-fatal physical violence, unlawful detentions, and threats to family members continue to be weaponized to silence critical reporting.

Media freedom advocacy groups and international bodies are renewing calls for governments to institute specialized protection mechanisms, strengthen criminal investigations, and rigorously prosecute offenders.

Advocates stress that securing justice for targeted journalists remains essential to upholding democratic press freedom and protecting the public’s right to access information without fear of reprisal.