Impunity for the murders of journalists increased for the first time since 2012, according to a UNESCO report published on Monday, November 2, to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
The global impunity rate rose by one percentage point to 86%. The measure covers killings for which investigations have not led to a conclusion or are still ongoing. Six out of seven perpetrators therefore remain outside the reach of justice.
UNESCO said investigations and prosecutions related to journalist killings in war zones remain particularly inadequate. Mariya Gabriel, the organization’s assistant director-general for communication and information, said UNESCO is not a court but applies pressure to help ensure that justice is served.
The report, published every two years, records the deaths of 189 journalists, media professionals and social media content creators engaged in journalistic activity during 2024 and 2025. Fourteen of those killed were women.
Conflict zones accounted for 67% of the deaths, including areas in the Palestinian territory, Yemen and Ukraine. UNESCO described this as a major shift in the global risk environment for journalists.
The organization also reported a growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in these killings. Drones were involved in 26% of all journalist murders recorded during the two-year period. The State of Palestine registered the highest number of cases in 2025, with at least 32 killings.
UNESCO added that journalists continue to be killed at home or while wearing clothing identifying their profession. Since it began monitoring the issue in 2006, the organization has recorded 1,641 journalist deaths worldwide, equivalent to an average of one death every four days.
The figures differ from those published by the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders. UNESCO attributed the discrepancies to the difficulty of assessing the circumstances of deaths as conflicts continue to evolve.
Sources: Le Monde International.