Overview
- RSF attributes about 43% of this year’s killings to Israeli military operations in Gaza, making it the deadliest place for the press.
- Mexico recorded nine journalist murders in 2025, driven largely by organized crime, cementing its status as the most dangerous country for reporters outside a war.
- Worldwide, 503 journalists are imprisoned, with China the largest jailer (121) and Russia second (48) and holding the most foreign detainees; Israel has 20 Palestinians in custody.
- RSF lists 135 journalists as missing—led by Syria (37) and Mexico (28)—and reports 20 held as hostages, including nine in Yemen.
- The report also flags lethal conditions in Sudan and Ukraine and notes that nearly all those killed were local reporters, with only two deaths of journalists working abroad.