Journalists around the world continue risking their lives in order to carry out their duty, with 2024 being the deadliest year for members of the press.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists, more than 1,700 journalists have been killed across the globe since 1993. And according to a study conducted by Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), this year was the deadliest for journalists since institutions started keeping record, with a total of 165 killings.
The deaths took place across 21 different countries around the world but the vast majority —two thirds of all victims— died while covering two major armed conflicts: wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine.
According to PEC president Blaise Lempen, ongoing wars in the Middle East have taken the lives of 82 journalists, the vast majority of them (74) in the Gaza Strip. But things have escalated ever since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 of last year, with at least 155 media workers losing their lives while covering the conflict.
The war between Ukraine and Russia has also produced an elevated number of deaths for journalists. In 2024, at least 25 homicides of media members were reported with the majority of the victims being Ukrainian journalists (19).
According to the data, nearly three-fourths of all journalist deaths in 2024 took place in so-called "conflict zones," where 120 out of the 165 total victims died while covering wars.
Mexico still among the most dangerous places for journalists
The 2024 report showed a decrease in journalist deaths across Latin America with only 13 cases, compared to the 20 deaths reported in 2023. Although the situation improved in the region, Mexico continues to be one of the places where media members are more at risk.
In 2024, seven members of the press lost their lives. Media workers continue to be regularly targeted all throughout Mexico, often in direct reprisal for their work covering topics like corruption and activities pertaining to cartels and other criminal organizations.
In the last five years, only Gaza (159) and Ukraine (59) have reported more journalist deaths than Mexico (55).
Acording to data from Articulo 19, violence against journalist was historically high during the Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) administration. A total of 47 journalists were murdered or went missing between 2018 and 2024, the same number of victims as Enrique Peña Nieto's administration between 2012 and 2018.
The Claudia Sheinbaum administration already counts with one murder case against members of the press despite being sworn in as presidents less than three months ago. In October, Mauricio Cruz Solis was shot dead in the city of Uruapan, Michoacan.
In Latin America, Colombia (4), Ecuador (1) and Honduras (1) were other countries in the region that reported at least one death of members of the press in 2024.
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