UNESCO report on journalist murders

A UNESCO report published on Monday, November 2, highlights an increase in impunity for murders of journalists worldwide, marking the first time since 2012, when UNESCO began examining this issue. During the period 2024–2025, impunity increased to 86 percent, compared to 85 percent during the previous period.

Rising number of journalist deaths

The report also notes that 189 journalists were killed in 2024 and 2025, a 20 percent increase compared to the previous period. According to the report, a little more than two-thirds of these journalists, 127, were killed in conflict zones.

Call for accountability and protection

Khaled El-Enany, the director general on journalist safety and impunity, states that journalists are increasingly paying with their lives for their war reporting from the front lines, and too often, the perpetrators of these murders are not held accountable. He reiterates his call for respect for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2222, adopted unanimously in 2015, on the protection of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel as civilians in conflict situations, a status reaffirmed by the Pact for the Future.

Drones and increased risk for war reporters

The report highlights the impact of new military technologies on the risks faced by war reporters, particularly drones. During the period 2024–2025, 50 journalists, or 40 percent of the total number of journalists killed in conflict zones, were killed by drone strikes. Seven incidents in which multiple journalists were targeted and killed during the same attack were documented.

Journalists killed while marked as press

The report details that strikes included attacks on media professionals' workplaces and temporary editorial centers. Fifteen journalists were killed while wearing press vests or while aboard vehicles clearly marked "Press." The report also highlights specific situations to which female journalists are exposed, "both in conflict zones and online."

Female journalists face disproportionate abuse

Of the 14 female journalists killed during the period 2024–2025, 93 percent were killed while covering conflicts. Although women represent only a relatively small proportion of journalists killed, they continue to face disproportionately high levels of abuse and harassment, both online and offline. According to a study conducted in 2025 by UN Women and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), 75 percent of female journalists have been exposed to this type of abuse.

Improvements in non-conflict areas

The publication of the report also notes improvements in some countries. In countries without conflict, impunity has decreased to 77 percent. The report's findings highlight a marked contrast between the trends observed in conflict zones and outside these zones.

Decline in impunity outside conflict zones

While the global situation has deteriorated, impunity in countries without conflict has continued its regular decline, decreasing from 94 percent in 2012 to 77 percent in 2026, a decrease of one percentage point per year. Murders of journalists in conflict-free areas have also decreased, reaching 85, the lowest level in eighteen years.