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The 2024 Round-up by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) paints a grim picture of the state of journalism, with escalating violence against media workers, particularly in conflict zones. Over half of the journalists killed this year lost their lives in areas of armed conflict. The Gaza Strip emerged as the deadliest region globally for journalists.
Conflict zones dominate journalist fatalities
This year, 54 journalists were killed worldwide, with 31 deaths occurring in conflict zones such as Gaza, Iraq, Sudan, Myanmar and Ukraine. RSF’s data reveals that nearly 30% of these deaths occurred in Gaza, where at least 35 journalists were killed in direct connection with their work.
Since October 2023, the Israeli army has been implicated in over 145 journalist fatalities in the region. RSF has filed four war crime complaints with the International Criminal Court to address these killings.
Palestine has become the most dangerous country for journalists, recording the highest death toll over the past five years.
Rising detentions: 550 journalists behind bars
Globally, 550 journalists are currently imprisoned, marking a 7% increase compared to last year. The uptick is attributed to surges in journalist detentions in Russia and Israel, which has become the third-largest jailer of journalists since the onset of the Gaza offensive. Four countries – China (124 journalists), Myanmar (61), Israel (41) and Belarus (40) – account for nearly half of the imprisoned journalists worldwide.
Also read: UNGA Resolution Calls For ‘Immediate, Unconditional, Permanent’ Gaza Ceasefire
Hostages and missing journalists
This year’s report also highlights the plight of 55 journalists held hostage and 95 journalists reported missing. Syria remains the epicentre for hostage situations, with 70% of the cases linked to kidnappings by the Islamic State. Yemen saw two new abductions in 2024, while Mali recorded similar cases last year.
Of the missing journalists, 45% are victims of enforced disappearances. Countries like Mexico, Syria and Palestine feature prominently in these cases. RSF has urged nations to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance to address this growing concern.
Urgent call to action
Thibaut Bruttin, RSF’s director general, stressed the need for global action to combat impunity for crimes against journalists. “Journalists do not die, they are killed; they are not in prison, regimes lock them up; they do not disappear, they are kidnapped,” Bruttin said, emphasising the importance of justice and protection for media workers.
“These crimes – often orchestrated by governments and armed groups with total impunity – violate international law and too often go unpunished. We need to get things moving, to remind ourselves as citizens that journalists are dying for us, to keep us informed. We must continue to count, name, condemn, investigate, and ensure that justice is served. Fatalism should never win. Protecting those who inform us is protecting the truth,” Bruttin further stated.
