Guwahati: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) counted 165 journalists killed in 2025 across 31 countries. PEC called 2025 one of the deadliest years for journalists this century, after 2024.

PEC said 2024 recorded 179 journalist deaths worldwide. By region, PEC said the Middle East led with 87 deaths. Latin America followed with 27, then Asia with 23.

PEC put Africa at 16 deaths. Europe recorded 10, PEC said. The United States recorded two.

PEC said at least 60 journalists died in the Gaza Strip in 2025. PEC said Israeli strikes killed almost all of them. PEC also said at least 221 Palestinian media workers died in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

PEC also addressed the Ukraine–Russia war. It said that conflict resulted in nine journalist deaths. PEC said Ukrainian and Russian fire caused those deaths.

Journalists Killed in 2025: Drone Risk and Country Tolls

PEC president Blaise Lempen warned about “undetectable, ultra-fast drones” threatening war reporters. He said access to victims faces tighter restrictions.

PEC said Yemen lost 15 media workers in 2025. It said an Israeli attack on September 10 killed 13 of them. PEC also said Mexico recorded nine journalist murders amid violence linked to drug traffickers.

PEC said Sudan’s situation worsened during ongoing fighting. It counted at least eight deaths among Sudanese media personnel. DW reported that aid groups ranked Sudan as the world’s most neglected crisis of 2025, even as the war drove what the UN and major agencies describe as the largest humanitarian and displacement emergency. The UN put displacement at about 14 million people inside Sudan and across borders, and estimates of deaths ranged from 40,000 to 250,000. The UN World Food Programme warned it will cut rations to the “absolute minimum for survival” from January 2026 because funding lags.

PEC listed other country totals. It counted six deaths in India. It counted five each in Ecuador, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

PEC counted four deaths in Iran and linked them to an Israeli attack in Tehran. It also counted four in the Philippines and four in Peru. It counted three deaths in Syria.

PEC said Afghanistan, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and the United States each lost two journalists. It recorded one death each in Brazil, Haiti, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Turkey, and Zimbabwe.

PEC Calls Out Impunity and Urges UN Action

PEC said impunity remains a central problem. It linked weak investigations and prosecutions to rising attacks.

PEC backed a Doha conference recommendation on journalist protection in armed conflicts. PEC said the proposal urged an international UN-backed commission of inquiry. PEC also supported an international convention and an internationally recognised press emblem.

South Asia Victims Named

PEC’s south and southeast Asia representative Nava Thakuria said India lost six media professionals in 2025. He listed Mukesh Chandrakar, Raghavendra Vajpayee, Sahadev Dey, Dharmendra Singh Chauhan, Naresh Kumar, and Rajeev Pratap Singh. He also cited a suspected murder of freelance journalist Pankaj Mishra.

Thakuria said Pakistan recorded five journalist killings in 2025. He named AD Shar, Abdul Latif, Syed Mohammed Shah, Imtiaz Mir, and Tufail Rind.

Thakuria said Bangladesh recorded five journalist killings in 2025. He named Assaduzzaman Tuhin, Bibhuranjan Sarkar, Wahed-uz-Zaman Bulu, Khandahar Shah Alam, and Imdadul Haque Milon.

Thakuria said the Philippines recorded four journalist deaths in 2025. He named Juan Johny Dayang, Erwin Labitad Segovia, Noel Bellen Samar, and Gerry Campos.

He said Afghanistan recorded two deaths in 2025. He named Abdul Ghafoor Abid and Abdul Zahir Safi. He said Nepal recorded one death, naming Suresh Rajak.

PEC said Myanmar, Cambodia, and Indonesia recorded no journalist deaths in 2025. It said Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives also recorded none.

PEC’s year-end tally again put journalists killed in 2025 at the centre of its global safety warning.