The Secretary -General’s annual report to the United Nations General Assembly outlines a gloomy picture of the ongoing and worsening threats against journalists, focusing this year on those who cover “climate change, environmental issues, including female journalists and workers”.

Despite the UN’s long -standing efforts, “attacks on journalists continue” and impunity remains extensive.

Between August 2023 and May 2025, UNESCO recorded 163 killings of journalists worldwide, that is, one every four days. Of these, 109 journalists were killed in war zones, mainly “in Gaza (46), Sudan (13) and Ukraine (8)”.

The Secretary -General said he was “shocked by the extremely high number of journalists killed in Gaza” and denounced as “the ban on access to international media journalists in Gaza”.

However, violence is not limited to war zones: “Mexico, for example, proves to be more dangerous than many warriors, with 15 journalists.”

According to UNESCO data, “the largest number of confirmed cases of killing was recorded in the Arab states (82), followed by Latin America and Caribbean (34), Africa (5), Asia and Pacific (30), Europe and North America (12)”.

Equally worrying is that “the rate of impunity remained very high with 85% of journalists’ killings remaining unmistakable.”

The report states that the weakness of institutions, corruption and political interconnections continue to prevent justice. As the special rapporteur recalls, “not tackling impunity is a violation of the international obligation of states to protect the right to life.”

In addition to killings and killings, imprisonment and legal harassment are increasing. Journalists without borders recorded “at least 1,163 imprisoned journalists between 2023 and 2025,” with almost half of the cases in “Belarus, China, Israel, Myanmar and Russian Federation”.

More and more governments are using laws “from defamation to anti -terrorist laws” to criminalize journalism. UNESCO notes that “defamation remains a criminal offense in 160 countries around the world”.

Female journalists face “higher rates of digital attacks and harassment by their male colleagues”. A UNESCO survey and the International Federation of Journalists showed that 73% of female journalists have undergone online violence and have then received physical attacks.

As the Secretary -General notes, women are at the risk of “much greater risk of sexual and gender -based violence, including the publication of personal information”.

The report also denounces the “illegal use of targeted monitoring technologies” against journalists, leading to arrests, intimidation and murders. The High Commissioner and Special Rapporteurs reiterated their call for “suspension of export and use of private spy systems”.

A new phenomenon is cross -border repression, with journalists in exile accepting threats or attacks by states of origin. Many “lack legal status or protection in host countries, which makes them vulnerable to arrest, expulsion or attacks”.

The 2025 report dedicates its main part to journalists covering environmental issues. He emphasizes the “key role of journalism in informing and raising public awareness of the climate crisis”, but describes dramatically increasing risks.

Journalists dealing with environmental issues “in isolated areas where state supervision is weak or non -existent and where criminal groups or private security forces act with impunity”.

A 2024 study shows that “countries with high exploitation of natural resources are ranked in the lowest positions of freedom of the press. Nearly one -third of the world mining takes place in states where journalism is “in a very serious condition”.

Covering the climate crisis is often “polarized”, with journalists accused of “bias or activism” and undergoing “defamation and online harassment campaigns”, enhanced by misinformation. In 2024 it was revealed that pesticide companies “collect personal data of journalists for spin campaigns”.

Access to environmental data remains uneven: in some countries it is transparent, while elsewhere “authorities are deliberately hiding information or censor investigations”. Reporters are forced to rely on informants or disguised research, increasing the risks. Many means “depending economically on polluting industries, which leads to self -censorship”.

Most environmental reporters are freelancers or local correspondents, “without legal, financial or physical protection,” and “without access to risk assessment or legal support”.

According to the report, “44 journalists who covered environmental issues have been murdered for the last 15 years,” mainly in Asia and Latin America. Of these cases, “only five led to convictions, while 19 remain unresolved.” Authorities often attribute the murders to “differences for land or personal revenge” denying the professional dimension.

Between 2009 and 2023, 353 natural attacks were recorded, including “83 beatings, 42 arbitrary arrests, 24 attempts and 13 abductions”.

In Europe, almost half of the cases occurred in demonstrations, “often by violence by the police”.

In addition, “126 journalists were threatened, 49 of which for their lives”. Legal attacks are increased by “210 cases since 2009”, with frequent charges of “spreading false news or defamation”.

Digital attacks have an upward trend and “in seven of every ten cases, the perpetrators are state bodies”. Women in environmental reports are particularly affected by “slander campaigns and threats”.

UN Initiatives

In the framework of the UN Action Plan (2012), UNESCO and the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) coordinate the network of focal points, based on “Three P: Prevention, Protection and Criminal Prosecution”.

Actions for World Press Freedom Day were organized on the day of end of impunity, and a “world road map for information as a public good in the era of environmental crisis” was drawn up.

In 2025, UNESCO, the Brazilian government and the UN launched the global initiative to integrity of climate change information, with the aim of “supporting research journalists and scientists in documenting the impact of the climate crisis”.

UNESCO has already trained “over 36,000 judges, prosecutors and legal” in 160 countries, while the SME’s World Fund has funded “more than 150 projects worldwide”, supporting 8,000 journalists and 1,400 lawyers.

At the same time, organizations such as journalists without border launched campaigns such as the “Protecting Environmental Journalism: The Challenge of the 21st Century”.

The Secretary -General recalls that “free and independent journalism is a public good of vital.” However, “attacks on journalists continue worldwide.”

It calls on states to “guarantee that journalists can work freely and safely”, “put an end to the unacceptable levels of impunity” and to align their legislation with the human rights guaranteed in the universal declaration of human rights.

It stresses the need for “legislative measures against Slapps (lawsuits deposited by a strong person or organization against non -governmental persons or organizations, which are criticized by them”, “suspended sale of surveillance technologies” and “integration of environmental journalists”.

It urges states to “collect data on attacks”, “promote environmental journalists networks” and create “regional legal support funds and environmental reports”.

The media, for their part, must provide “digital security, psychological support and early warning systems”.

The report concludes with the reminder that the protection of journalists, especially those working at the forefront of the climate crisis, is an integral part of freedom of press and accountability, stressing that “protection of journalists means protecting our freedoms”.

G. Garantziotis