In the past 12 months alone, 67 journalists have been killed for their work, due to war, organized crime and the appalling state of impunity. A recent report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on the state of journalists around the world shows that the profession of journalism is becoming increasingly dangerous and risky. It shows that the profession of journalism is becoming increasingly dangerous and risky globally.

According to the report, nearly half, or 43 percent, of the journalists killed were killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. This figure confirms RSF's conclusion that the Israeli army has become the biggest 'enemy' of journalists. While journalists are also being targeted in war-torn Russia, Ukraine and Sudan, nine journalists have been killed by organized crime groups in Mexico in Latin America.

Organized attacks on journalism

According to the RSF report, at least 79 percent of the journalists killed in the last 12 months have been targeted by armed forces, paramilitary groups or criminal networks. RSF claims that more than 43 percent of the killings of journalists in the last one year were caused by the Israeli army. Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed about 220 journalists, of which at least 65 were killed directly in the course of their professional activities.

Similarly, the situation in Latin America is also becoming dire. Mexico, in particular, is the second most unsafe country for journalists. In Mexico alone, nine journalists were killed in 2025, with organized crime groups responsible, according to RSF. This year has been the deadliest for journalism in Mexico in the past three years. According to RSF, it is concerned that the series of journalist killings in Latin America, like the one in Mexico, will increase. The region accounts for 24 percent of all journalists killed worldwide.

Journalists are not safe in their own country

The RSF report also shows that journalists are even more at risk in their own country. Only two of the journalists killed this year were foreigners. French photojournalist Antoine Lalique was killed in a Russian drone strike in Ukraine, while Salvadoran journalist Javier Hercules was killed in Honduras. Hercules had lived in Honduras for more than a decade. All the other journalists killed were killed while reporting in their own country.

Journalists are not only being killed, but also being arrested. According to RSF, as of December 1, 2025, there were 503 journalists in custody in 47 countries around the world. Of these, 121 are in China. This is followed by 48 in Russia, 47 in Myanmar, and 25 in Azerbaijan.

China has imprisoned many of its own journalists, while Russia has also imprisoned foreign journalists. Of the 48 journalists in Russian prisons, 26 are Ukrainian journalists. Israel is the second country in the list of countries that detain foreign journalists, with 20 Palestinian journalists in custody, 16 of whom were arrested in Gaza and the West Bank in the last two years.

Similar graph of disappearances and hostages

There are currently 135 journalists missing in 37 countries around the world. Some of them have not been contacted for more than three decades. According to RSF, 72 percent of the missing journalists have disappeared in the Middle East and Latin America. 37 are missing in Syria, while 28 are missing in Mexico. Many journalists who were captured in Syria by the Islamic State (ISIS) or under the Bashar al-Assad regime have not yet been found. The fact that the whereabouts of these journalists remain unknown even after a year since the fall of the Assad regime has become a matter of global concern, RSF said.