As the world rings in 2026, the media fraternity is forced to look back at a year defined by blood and silence. According to the latest report from the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), 2025 has cemented its place as one of the deadliest years for journalists since the turn of the century. With 165 media professionals killed across 31 countries, the global community is facing a grim reality: the "press" emblem, once a shield of neutrality, has become a target.
While the total figure is a slight dip from 2024’s 179 casualties, the geography of the violence remains concentrated. The Middle East continues to be the most perilous region, claiming 87 lives—over half of the global total. The Gaza Strip alone accounted for 60 deaths, almost all resulting from Israeli strikes. Since October 2023, the Palestinian media community has been decimated, losing 221 workers in a span of just over two years.
The Changing Face of Peril
The nature of the threat is evolving. In the fields of Ukraine and Russia, where nine journalists fell last year, the danger is no longer just stray bullets or shelling. PEC President Blaise Lempen warns of a "new and serious threat": the rise of undetectable, ultra-fast drones. These weapons make the work of war reporters nearly impossible, restricting access to victims and making the frontlines a digital death trap.
Beyond active war zones, the "shadow wars" of organized crime continue to take a heavy toll. In Mexico, nine journalists were murdered as they attempted to peel back the layers of drug trafficking. In Sudan and Yemen, internal instability and targeted strikes have turned local reporters into collateral damage.
South Asia: A Rising Toll
In South and Southeast Asia, the numbers tell a story of targeted silencing. India saw a worrying uptick, losing six media professionals compared to four in 2024. From the forests of Bastar to the streets of Gurugram, journalists like Mukesh Chandrakar and Dharmendra Singh Chauhan paid the ultimate price for their reporting.
Pakistan and Bangladesh, while seeing a reduction in numbers compared to the previous year, still recorded five deaths each. These are not just statistics; they are names—AD Shar, Imtiaz Mir, Assaduzzaman Tuhin—whose voices were extinguished for daring to speak.
The Crisis of Impunity
The most chilling aspect of the PEC report is not just the volume of deaths, but the lack of consequences. Impunity remains the primary fuel for this violence. When investigations are sidelined and prosecutions never materialize, the message to perpetrators is clear: killing a journalist is a low-risk crime.
The PEC is now throwing its weight behind a proposal from the Doha conference on the protection of journalists. The goal is clear: the creation of an international commission of inquiry under the UN and the adoption of a global convention that recognizes the press emblem as sacred ground.
As we move into 2026, we must ask: If the world allows its storytellers to be hunted with impunity, who will be left to tell the truth?
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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati. PEC’s south and southeast Asia representative
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