"UNESCO": Rise in impunity rates for the killing of journalists

A UNESCO report indicates a rise in impunity rates for the killing of journalists for the first time since 2012, reaching 86% globally. Palestine recorded 32 killings in 2025, the highest worldwide. The report counted 189 journalists killed in 2024 and 2025, two-thirds in conflict zones.

A UNESCO report, published Monday on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, indicates a rise in impunity rates for the killing of journalists for the first time since 2012. The report stated that "the State of Palestine again recorded the highest number of cases" in 2025, "with at least 32 killings." It added that "the global impunity rate for journalist killings rose by one percentage point this year to 86%," after a steady decline since 2012, from a peak of 95% to 85% in 2024. The biennial report counted 189 journalists, media workers, and social media content creators killed in 2024 and 2025, including 14 women. This two-year period is the deadliest for journalists in the past decade. Two-thirds (67%) were killed in conflict zones, such as the Palestinian territories, Yemen, and Ukraine. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information Maria Gabriel told journalists that "investigations and prosecutions related to the killing of journalists in war zones remain insufficient," clarifying that the international organization "is not a court," but works to "apply pressure for justice."