Half-year report · January – June 2026
Press freedom in the first half of 2026
Global Press Shield's reading of figures from accredited international and Palestinian organizations on killings of and violations against journalists, worldwide and in Palestine.
Key figures
1. Worldwide
The Press Emblem Campaign recorded 39 journalists killed in the first six months of 2026, less than half the toll of the same period in 2025. The fall comes after three record-breaking years, and the Middle East remains the most dangerous region: nearly half of the victims died there, most of them in Lebanon and Gaza.
- Middle East (19): Lebanon 9, Gaza 7, Syria 1, Iran 1, Yemen 1
- Latin America (12): Mexico 5, Colombia 2, Haiti 2, Venezuela 2, Guatemala 1
- Asia (6): Philippines 3, Bangladesh 1, India 1, Pakistan 1
- Africa (2): Somalia 1, Uganda 1
Source: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC). Total 39.
2. Palestine
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate documented 467 violations against journalists in the West Bank and Gaza in the first half of 2026, including 8 journalists killed. More than 41% of the violations were bans on coverage or detentions of press crews: direct attempts to silence reporting from the field.
Source: Palestinian Journalists Syndicate. Total 467.
Main types of violations
- 192 bans on coverage or detentions of press crews (over 41%)
- 22 cases of equipment seized or destroyed
- 19 journalists barred from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
- 7 raids on journalists’ homes and media outlets
- 5 websites blocked
- 3 media outlets closed
Since October 2023
3. Lebanon and the Iran war
Since the war with Iran began on 28 February 2026, CPJ has documented 9 journalists and media workers killed in Lebanon. The Press Emblem Campaign ranks Lebanon the deadliest country for journalists in the first half of 2026.
4. Why do the numbers differ?
Each organization has its own definition of a journalist and of "killed because of their work", and its own verification standards, so totals vary. We quote each figure as published and never add them together.
In June 2026 CPJ announced a review of its Israel-Gaza war documentation; its count then fell from 263 (11 June) to 247 (24 September). This report uses the latest figure.
5. GP Shield recommendations
- An independent international investigation into every killing of a journalist, and full cooperation with the International Criminal Court.
- Unrestricted access to Gaza for the international press, and protection for the local journalists who carry the coverage alone.
- Protective equipment and safety training for journalists in conflict zones, in Lebanon, Palestine and Latin America.
- An end to impunity: publish the findings of investigations and hold those responsible to account in public.
Sources
- Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), mid-year report, July 2026. https://www.theresearchers.us/2026/07/16/decline-in-journalist-murders/
- International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), tally released July 2026. https://thesun.my/news/number-of-media-workers-killed-on-the-job-up-by-over-40-year-on-year-hg10342757/
- Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), first-half 2026 report, via Arab News. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2651737/media
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Israel-Gaza and Iran wars casualties, as of 24 September 2026. https://cpj.org/2023/10/journalist-casualties-in-the-israel-gaza-and-iran-wars/
- CPJ, review of its Israel-Gaza war documentation, June 2026. https://cpj.org/2026/06/cpj-undertakes-review-of-its-documentation-of-journalists-killed-in-israel-gaza-war-since-2023/
Published 1 October 2026 by Global Press Shield (GP Shield) · gpshield.org