Overview
- The UNESCO report published on Nov. 2, 2026 documented 189 journalists killed in 2024–2025, a 20% rise from the prior two years, and set the long‑term impunity rate at 86 percent.
- About two‑thirds of the victims, 127 of 189, were killed in countries affected by armed conflict and the report flagged a rise in group killings and drone attacks that increase risks for local reporters.
- UNESCO recorded 17 journalist murders in Mexico during 2024–2025 while national authorities say the specialized prosecutor (FEADLE) has judicialized dozens of cases since 2018, including 20 homicide probes that were taken to court.
- Civil groups and monitors highlight a gap between investigations and full accountability: RSF counted only 11 homicide convictions for journalists in Mexico from July 2010 to June 2026 and found that nearly all examined murders lack identification of the intellectual author and motive.
- The report renewed calls for protection and justice as exiled Cuban and Afghan journalists recount threats and families such as that of slain reporter Francisco Pacheco describe years of stalled support and unresolved questions about who ordered the killings.