Global journalist killings rise; Phl remains dangerous

A total of 128 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2025, more than half of them in the Middle East, underscoring what press freedom advocates described as a worsening climate of violence and impunity against the media.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said the death toll, higher than in 2024, amounted to a “global red alert” for journalists, with conflicts and weak accountability systems driving the killings.

“The figure is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger told Agence France-Presse.

While global attention has focused on war zones, the Philippines remained among the countries where journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2025, highlighting the continuing risks faced by media workers outside active conflict areas.

Verified records from international and local press freedom monitors show that at least five journalists and media professionals were killed in the Philippines in 2025, most of them working in local radio and community-based media.

Among them was veteran publisher Juan “Johnny” Dayang, who was shot dead inside his home in Kalibo, Aklan in April. 

Radio commentators Erwin “Boy Pana” Labitad Segovia and Gerry S. Campos were killed in separate attacks in Surigao del Sur, while broadcaster Noel Bellen Samar was ambushed in Albay in October and later died from his injuries. 

Another killing involved a former radio broadcaster in General Santos City, with investigators still determining the motive.

Press freedom advocates said the cases reflect a familiar pattern in the Philippines, where journalists covering local politics, corruption, and security issues remain vulnerable to attack, often far from national scrutiny.

‘Entrenched impunity’

On the other hand, the Palestinian territories recorded the highest number of deaths, with 56 journalists killed in 2025 as Israel’s war with Hamas continued in Gaza.

“We’ve never seen anything like this — so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” Bellanger said.

Journalists were also killed in Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru, India and other countries. Bellanger blamed the persistence of attacks on what he called entrenched impunity.

“Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he said.

The IFJ noted that its count of journalist killings is typically higher than that of other organizations due to different methodologies and because it includes accidental deaths. 

Of the 128 killed globally in 2025, nine were classified as accidental.

Reporters Without Borders recorded 67 journalists killed in the course of their work in 2025, while UNESCO placed the figure at 93.

Beyond killings, the IFJ reported that 533 journalists were imprisoned worldwide as of the end of 2025, more than double the number recorded five years ago. 

China again ranked as the world’s worst jailer of journalists, with 143 behind bars, including in Hong Kong, where national security laws have drawn criticism from Western governments.

Rare convictions

Back in the Philippines, media watchdogs said the death toll among Filipino journalists, while lower than during some past years, shows that violence against journalists has not been eradicated and that convictions remain rare. 

Since the restoration of democracy in 1986, more than 200 journalists have been killed in the country, with many cases unresolved.

As 2026 begins, press groups warned that without sustained investigations, prosecutions, and protective measures, both global and local trends point to continuing danger for journalists, as well as shrinking space for independent reporting.