Record High Journalist Fatalities in 2024: PEC Report

The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), an international media safety and rights organization, has reported that 2024 witnessed a record-high number of journalist fatalities, with 179 media workers losing their lives across 25 countries. This marked a staggering 28% increase from the 140 casualties recorded in 2023 and was the heaviest toll recorded since the turn of the century.

According to PEC’s annual report, nearly three-quarters of the deceased journalists were killed in conflict zones. The month of December alone accounted for 20 journalist deaths, further intensifying the grim statistics. The fatalities in 2024 represent a sharp rise from previous years, with 116 media workers killed in 2022, 79 in 2021, 92 in 2020, and 75 in 2019.

The Middle East remained the deadliest region, with hostilities claiming 91 journalist lives. The ongoing conflict in Gaza since October 2023 resulted in an unprecedented death toll of 80 journalists in the Gaza Strip, six in Lebanon, four in Syria, and one in the West Bank.

In Ukraine, 19 journalists who had joined the military lost their lives in 2024, along with a foreign journalist, Ryan Evans of Reuters, who was killed in Kramatorsk. Additionally, Ukrainian journalist Victoria Rochtchina died in custody in Russia, bringing the total toll from the Ukraine conflict to 21.

Outside the Middle East and Ukraine, Pakistan reported the highest fatalities with 12 journalist deaths, reflecting a significant deterioration in safety for media workers. Russia recorded seven journalist casualties, including three in occupied Ukrainian territories and one in Kursk.

In Bangladesh, unrest in July left 7 journalists dead. The situation remains very dangerous in Mexico, where 7 journalists have been killed. Hostilities in Sudan caused the death of 6 journalists. In Colombia, 4 media workers were killed, where 4 killed in India, 3 in Iraq and 3 in Myanmar (Burma). Two people were killed in Somalia, two in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and two in Haiti. Cambodia, Chad, Ecuador, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Nepal and the Philippines, followed with one fatality in each country.

Over the past ten years, PEC has documented 1,159 journalist deaths, averaging 2.25 per week. The Middle East has been the most perilous region in 2024, with 92 journalist deaths, followed by Asia (31), Europe (28), Latin America (17), and Africa (11). By continent in 2024, the Middle East had the highest number of victims (92: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria , West Bank and Iraq), ahead of Asia (31). Europe follows (28: Ukraine and Russia), ahead of Latin America (17) and Africa (11). In addition to the Middle East, there has been a deterioration in Asia from one year to the next (31 deaths compared with 12). On the positive side, there were fewer victims in Latin America in 2024 than in 2023 (16 compared with 20).

Blaise Lempen, PEC President said, "We condemn all these crimes, committed in violation of international law and national legislation. Independent investigations are essential to clarify the circumstances and prosecute those responsible in order to combat impunity. This very heavy death toll, the heaviest since the beginning of the century, reinforces the need for an international instrument which clarifies the conditions for the protection of the profession of journalism in conflict zones."

PEC’s South and Southeast Asia representative, Nava Thakuria, reported that Pakistan’s fatalities included Jam Saghir Ahmed Lar, Tahira Nosheen Rana, Muhammad Siddiq Mengel, and nine others. Bangladesh lost seven journalists, including Hasan Mehedi and Shakil Hossain, while India recorded the murders of Ashutosh Srivastava, Shivshankar Jha, Salman Ali Khan, and Dilip Saini. Myanmar witnessed the killings of Ko Myat Thu Tun, Htet Myat Thu, and Win Htut Oo, while Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines each reported a journalist fatality. Nepal recorded the killing of Suresh Bhul, Indonesia lost Sempurna Pasaribu and the Philippines Maria Vilma Rodriguez to assailants in the bygone year.