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Press freedom violations worldwide have reached critical levels in 2025, with economic pressures, physical attacks, and censorship creating a “difficult situation” globally for the first time in history. Over half the world’s population—4.25 billion people—lives in 42 countries marked as “very serious” red zones on the RSF World Press Freedom Index, where journalists face killings, arrests, and media shutdowns. This year alone, 72 media workers were killed in places such as Gaza and Sudan among others and many of them were involved in writing about corruption, war and abuse of power. Such tendencies indicate the necessity of a timely defense against an increase in disinformation and political enmity. Stay informed on global justice. Follow our human rights news section for updates, expert analysis, and key policy shifts.
Global Scale and Economic Threats
Economic weakness is revealed in the RSF Index as a major challenge, the media houses can no longer stand on their own feet as they grapple under ownership concentration, advertising pressure and even mysterious financing, which weakens editorial judgment. There were 709 attacks on 1,249 media workers in 36 countries in the first half of 2025, including attacks, threats, and lawsuits in Hungary, Romania, and Turkey. On an international scale, every four days a journalist dies as a result of working, which is a violation of international law, as observed in increasing numbers in 2024.
Deadliest Conflict Zones
Conflict areas amplify press freedom violations, with Gaza seeing over 200 journalist deaths since 2023, many attributed to targeted strikes amid restricted access for foreign reporters. Sudan reported more than 550 violations and 30 and more deaths, annihilating 90 percent of its media ecosystem, and Pakistan, Mexico, Ukraine, and Syria report surges in murders in corruption and unrest coverage. Impunity continues to be experienced because authoritarian governments and even democracies are undermining the protection of journalists.
Rising Attacks in Democracies
Even in well-established democracies, the violations explode: 27 arrests, 104 attacks during 2025 protests in the US, which was driven by political rhetoric that demonizes the media. The number of killed journalists in Latin America already outstrips 2024 numbers, owing to crime-state collaboration in Mexico and other countries. Incarcerations were record-breaking, as Russia was detaining 48 media employees.
Paths to Protection
It is essential to restore media economics with the help of transparent assistance and anti-monopoly actions along with legal protection and monitoring on the international level. Accountability is a possibility in civil society and UNESCO tracking.
