The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reported on Tuesday that 2024 has been a particularly deadly year for journalists, with 104 media workers killed worldwide.
Of this total, more than half of the fatalities occurred in Gaza, where the ongoing Israeli offensive has claimed the lives of 55 Palestinian journalists.
The death toll in Gaza continues to rise as the conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, intensifies. The IFJ’s report highlights the dire situation for journalists covering the war, many of whom were either deliberately targeted or caught in the crossfire.
Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary of the IFJ, condemned the violence against journalists in Gaza, calling it a “massacre unfolding before the eyes of the world.”
Bellanger added that many of the killed journalists were clearly targeted because of their work, while others were simply caught in the chaotic violence of the ongoing conflict. “These journalists were not just victims of the conflict but were deliberately silenced in an attempt to control the narrative,” he said.
The situation in Gaza is a stark reminder of the risks journalists face when reporting from conflict zones, especially in regions with limited protections for press freedom.
Since the start of the conflict, at least 138 Palestinian journalists have lost their lives, according to IFJ data. The loss of these journalists represents a significant blow to the ability of the international community to access accurate, independent information about the situation in Gaza and the broader Middle East.
While the Middle East remains the deadliest region for journalists, Asia also emerged as a dangerous place for media workers in 2024. The IFJ recorded 20 journalist deaths in Asia, with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India being among the most affected countries.
In Pakistan, six journalists were killed, while five were killed in Bangladesh and three in India. These deaths highlight the growing risks faced by journalists in South Asia, where political instability, armed conflict, and government crackdowns have made it increasingly difficult to report freely.
Meanwhile, in Europe, the ongoing war in Ukraine also claimed the lives of four journalists in 2024. While Ukraine has been a hotspot for press deaths in recent years, the war’s toll on the media community remains heavy as both Russian and Ukrainian forces have been accused of targeting journalists.
The IFJ also reported a troubling rise in the number of journalists imprisoned worldwide. According to the latest figures, 520 journalists are currently behind bars, a significant increase from the 427 reported in 2023.
China remains the world’s worst jailer of journalists, with 135 individuals currently detained. The report highlights that many of these detentions are related to the Chinese government’s crackdown on dissent, particularly in Hong Kong, where national security laws have been used to silence critics and suppress press freedom.
“The growing number of imprisoned journalists reflects the increasing threats to press freedom worldwide,” Bellanger said. “Governments are targeting those who dare to report the truth, using imprisonment as a tool to control the flow of information.”
The IFJ’s report often differs from that of other press organizations like Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The IFJ’s figures tend to be higher due to differences in methodology. RSF is expected to release its own report on journalist deaths later this week.
In 2023, RSF reported 54 journalists and two collaborators killed, a lower number than the IFJ’s total of 129. However, the IFJ figures for 2024 suggest that the trend of rising violence against journalists is continuing globally.
In addition to the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the IFJ also highlighted the risks faced by journalists in parts of Africa. In Nigeria, for example, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported in August that 56 journalists had been assaulted or harassed by security forces or unknown individuals while covering protests, including the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
Similarly, in Kenya, security forces targeted journalists during youth-led protests against corruption and high living costs. The CPJ report noted that at least a dozen journalists were assaulted, with one shot with rubber bullets and several others injured by tear gas.
Ugandan police and soldiers also used force to suppress protests, and in Ghana, a court banned planned protests, further demonstrating the dangers journalists face in covering sensitive political issues in many African countries.
