Six in seven journalist murders go unpunished, UNESCO reports

Global impunity for journalist killings has risen for the first time in more than a decade, while the growing use of drones has emerged as a threat for reporters in conflict zones, according to the latest report from the UN cultural organization UNESCO. Published on 2 November 2026 to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the biennial Director-General’s Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity found that 86 per cent of journalist killings worldwide remain unresolved. A confirmed 189 journalists and other media workers lost their lives in 2024-2025, 20 per cent more than during the previous biennium. The figure represents the highest number since 2014-2015. More than two-thirds, 127, were killed in conflict zones, accounting for 67 per cent of the death toll.

UNESCO first began measuring the proportion of journalist killings that go unpunished in 2012. The impunity rate reached 86 per cent in 2024-2025, up one per cent from the previous two-year period. Killings were recorded across all regions during the biennium, which the report described as “a global scourge.” The highest number of verified cases were in the Arab States (97), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (37), Asia-Pacific (34), Central and Eastern Europe (14), Africa (6) and Western Europe and North America (1). The State of Palestine recorded the highest number of killings in both years, at 30 and 32, respectively.

New technologies, growing risks

The report identified what UNESCO called “a disturbing new threat” – the growing use of drones to kill journalists. During 2024-2025, drone strikes killed 50 journalists, representing 40 per cent of all those killed in conflict zones. It documented seven incidents in which several journalists were targeted and killed in a single attack, including strikes on media workplaces and temporary reporting centers. Fifteen journalists were reportedly killed while wearing press vests or in vehicles clearly marked “Press.” UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany reiterated his call for respect of UN Security Council Resolution 2222, unanimously adopted in 2015 on the protection of journalists in conflict situations.

Progress and persistent risks for women

The report also highlighted progress, as impunity in non-conflict countries has continued to decline, falling from 94 per cent in 2012 to 77 per cent in 2026, or one percentage point per year. The number of journalist killings in non-conflict zones, 85, is the lowest in 18 years.

“This demonstrates that when governments invest in investigations, prosecutions and protections for journalists, progress is possible,” UNESCO said.

However, women journalists continue to face particular risks, both in war zones and online, with 13 out of the 14 women killed in 2024-2035 located in countries experiencing armed conflict. A 2025 study by UN Women and the International Center for Journalists found that 75 per cent of women journalists had experienced online or offline abuse and harassment.

Calls for accountability

UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed in his message for the Day that at least 34 journalists paid the ultimate price over the past year.

“Six of every seven such killings go unpunished. In conflict settings, the rate of impunity is close to 100 per cent,” he said.

He added that the situation is “a heinous affront to the victims and their loved ones, as well as all of us who depend on journalists to remain informed and engaged.” More than 40 per cent of women journalists reported offline violence linked to online attacks, up from 20 per cent in a 2020 UNESCO survey.

“On this International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we demand justice,” Guterres concluded.