More than 530 journalists and media staff were imprisoned worldwide in 2025, according to figures released by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), highlighting the scale of detention faced by media workers across multiple regions. According to the report, 533 journalists and media staff were imprisoned globally in 2025.
The IFJ said the data reflected journalists jailed primarily in connection with their professional activities, with numbers varying across regions and countries.
In Asia-Pacific, China accounted for 136 imprisoned journalists, while Hong Kong had seven. Myanmar recorded 49 journalists in detention and Vietnam 37. Bangladesh jailed seven, India two, the Philippines one, Cambodia seven, Afghanistan eight, Kazakhstan three, Kyrgyzstan six, Tajikistan nine, and Uzbekistan four. In the Middle East and Arab World, Israel detained 41 Palestinian journalists, Yemen 11, Egypt 15, Iran three, Tunisia three, and Algeria one. In Europe, Azerbaijan had 37 journalists imprisoned, Georgia one, Türkiye 21, Ukraine 26, and Belarus 32.
Across Africa, Eritrea held seven journalists, Ethiopia four, Nigeria four, Niger two, Sudan five, Cameroon two, Burundi one, and the Democratic Republic of Congo two. In the Americas, Venezuela recorded four imprisoned journalists, while Guatemala and Nicaragua each had one.
The IFJ said these imprisonment figures were released alongside its 2025 Killed List, which documented 128 journalists and media workers killed worldwide during the year.
Commenting on the situation facing journalists globally, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said, “128 journalists killed in a single year is not just a statistic, it is a global crisis. “These deaths are a brutal reminder that journalists are being targeted with impunity, simply for doing their job. “Governments must act now to protect media workers, bring killers to justice, and uphold press freedom. The world can no longer wait: it is time for a United Nations convention that guarantees the safety and independence of journalists everywhere.”
The IFJ’s count for the number of journalists killed is typically far higher than that of Reporters Without Borders, due to different counting methods. This year’s IFJ toll also included nine accidental deaths. Reporters Without Borders said 67 journalists were killed in the course of their work, while UNESCO puts the figure at 93.
