Global impunity for the killing of journalists has risen for the first time in more than a decade, according to the latest report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The findings mark a reversal of earlier progress in the fight against impunity and underscore the growing dangers facing reporters worldwide.
Six in Seven Killings Go Unpunished
The UNESCO report reveals that six out of every seven journalist killings are not brought to justice. Global impunity for journalist killings increased to 86 per cent in the 2024–2025 period, up from 85 per cent in the previous biennium. This is the first rise since UNESCO began measuring the rate in 2012.
The report was released on Monday, on the sidelines of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, observed annually on November 2. The Director-General’s Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity is published every two years by UNESCO to mark the occasion.
Journalist Killings Up 20 Per Cent
The rise in impunity compounds a second troubling finding: 189 journalists were killed in 2024 and 2025, a 20 per cent increase over the previous biennium. Just over two-thirds of these journalists — 127 in total — were killed in conflict zones.
“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.
The highest number of verified cases was recorded in the Arab States (97), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (37), Asia-Pacific (34), Central and Eastern Europe (14), Africa (6), and Western Europe and North America (1). The State of Palestine recorded the highest number of killings in both years, at 30 and 32 respectively.
Drones Identified as a Disturbing New Threat
The report also flags what UNESCO describes as a disturbing new threat: the growing use of drones to kill journalists. During 2024–2025, drone strikes killed 50 journalists, accounting for 40 per cent of all those killed in conflict zones.
UNESCO documented seven incidents in which multiple journalists were targeted and killed in a single attack, including strikes on media workplaces and temporary reporting centres. Fifteen journalists were reportedly killed while wearing press vests or travelling in vehicles clearly marked “Press”.
El-Enany reiterated his call for respect of UN Security Council Resolution 2222, unanimously adopted in 2015 on the protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians in situations of conflict — a status reaffirmed in the Pact for the Future.
Progress in Non-Conflict Countries
Despite the overall deterioration, the report highlights continued progress in non-conflict countries, where impunity has kept declining. The rate has fallen from 94 per cent in 2012 to 77 per cent in 2026, a decline of approximately one percentage point per year. The number of journalist killings in non-conflict zones, 85, is also the lowest in 18 years.
“This demonstrates that when governments invest in investigations, prosecutions and protections for journalists, progress is possible,” UNESCO said.
Women Journalists Face Particular Risks
The agency noted, however, that women journalists continue to face particular risks, both in war zones and online. Thirteen of the 14 women killed in 2024–2025 were in countries experiencing armed conflict.
In addition, a 2025 study by UN Women and the International Center for Journalists found that 75 per cent of women journalists had experienced online or offline abuse and harassment. More than 40 per cent reported offline violence linked to online attacks, up from 20 per cent in a 2020 UNESCO survey.
What the Findings Mean
The report paints a mixed picture of journalist safety worldwide. While targeted investment in investigations and prosecutions is yielding results in countries at peace, conflict zones are becoming deadlier — and the rise of drone warfare is adding a new dimension of risk. With nearly nine in ten killings going unpunished globally, the report makes clear that accountability for crimes against journalists remains the exception rather than the rule.
