According to the federation, 2024 has become one of the deadliest years for journalists. The IFJ has reaffirmed its determination to push for the urgent adoption of a UN International Convention for the Protection of Journalists.
On International Human Rights Day, December 10, the International Federation of Journalists published an initial list of journalists killed this year, which included 104 colleagues.
In an updated list published on December 31, the IFJ emphasized that the Middle East remains the most dangerous place on the planet for journalists: in just three weeks, nine more journalists were killed in Palestine and two in Syria.
According to the federation, while covering the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and military actions in Lebanon, 58% of the total number of journalists killed in 2024 were reported, specifically: 64 Palestinian colleagues, 6 Lebanese, and one Syrian.
The IFJ estimates that since October 7, 2023, the number of Palestinian journalists killed has risen to 147. In other countries in the region, the Federation counted three media workers killed in Iraq, including two women; a photographer killed in Syria; and two Kurdish journalists who died in northern Syria.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the International Federation of Journalists expressed regret over the killing of 7 journalists in Pakistan, 5 in Bangladesh, 3 in India, one in Cambodia, and one in the Philippines. Additionally, the military regime in Myanmar continues to hunt down press workers: this year, three journalists were killed, while one journalist died in both Indonesia and Kazakhstan.
In 2024, ten colleagues were killed in Africa. The media in Sudan paid the highest price: six people were killed there. Two journalists were killed in Somalia, one in Chad, and one in the DRC.
We think of the families and friends of the 122 media workers who lost their lives this year. Behind this high number are 122 lives cut short. To ensure that the deaths of journalists do not go unpunished, we strongly urge UN member states to take steps towards adopting a binding Convention on the Safety of Journalists. The goal of such a convention is to put an end to the deaths and injuries of journalists that unfortunately occur every year.Anthony Bellanger Secretary General of the IFJ
Last year, the IFJ reported nine deaths in North and South America (compared to 30 in 2022 and six in 2023). This includes five Mexicans, two Colombians, and two Haitians. Journalists in the region face threats, intimidation, abductions, and killings primarily due to reporting on drug trafficking.
Despite nearly three years of ongoing war in Ukraine, Europe remains relatively safe for journalists: in 2024, four journalists lost their lives while performing their professional duties (in comparison, there were 14 in 2022 and four in 2023).
The grim tally continues into 2025
The unfortunate count of journalists killed on the job continued into 2025.
On Saturday, the funeral of Palestinian freelance photojournalist Omar al-Derawi and his parents took place. They died on Thursday evening during an Israeli airstrike on their home in the central part of the Gaza Strip.
The death of the photojournalist was confirmed by the non-governmental organization "Committee to Protect Journalists" (CPJ). They described the period starting from October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and Israel began its operation to eliminate the group, as "the deadliest period for journalists since data collection began in 1992."
The number of journalists in captivity has also sharply increased
As of December 31, 2024, the International Federation of Journalists counted 516 journalists imprisoned, which represents a sharp increase compared to 2023 (427) and 2022 (375).
China, including Hong Kong, remains the largest jailer of media workers in the world: 135 journalists are behind bars there. Israel is in second place, with 59 Palestinian journalists imprisoned. Myanmar rounds out the top three with 44 journalists in captivity.
In the Asia-Pacific region alone, 254 journalists are imprisoned, surpassing Europe (142), the Middle East and Arab world (102), Africa (17), and Latin America (1).
Founded in 1926, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the world's largest professional organization representing 600,000 media workers from over 140 countries.