Human Rights Watch Urges Protection of Journalists in Conflict Zones Worldwide

Geneva, Switzerland – January 29, 2026

The Human Rights Watch Urges Protection of Journalists in Conflict Zones Worldwide as 2026 begins with a stark warning regarding the “deadliest era for the press” in modern history.

In a detailed report released this week, international advocacy groups highlighted that the Human Rights Watch Urges Protection of Journalists in Conflict Zones Worldwide must be treated as a global security priority to prevent the complete erasure of independent reporting from the world’s most volatile regions.

With nearly 130 journalists killed in 2025 alone, the call for a “binding international convention” has reached a fever pitch at the United Nations in Geneva.

Key Headlines of the Protection Report:

 • Call for a UN Convention Dedicated Specifically to the Safety of Journalists.

 • Documentation of 128 Media Worker Fatalities in the 2025 Calendar Year.

 • Advocacy for “Safe Corridors” and Protective Equipment in Active War Zones.

 • Pressure on Jurisdictions to End Impunity for Crimes Against the Press.

The report identifies the Gaza conflict as the primary driver of this unprecedented toll, noting that over 50 journalists were killed in the region during 2025 despite their protected status as civilians under the Geneva Conventions.

Beyond the Middle East, Human Rights Watch (HRW) pointed to deteriorating conditions in Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen, where journalists are increasingly being targeted not just by crossfire, but by deliberate “precision strikes” and arbitrary detentions.

The organization warned that when journalists are silenced, the world loses its only window into potential war crimes and humanitarian catastrophes.

A significant portion of the HRW briefing focused on the “Weaponization of Law” to suppress reporting.

In countries like Türkiye and Bangladesh, the use of anti-terror legislation and defamation suits has created what experts call a “chilling effect,” forcing many into self-censorship or exile.

In early January 2026, HRW reported on the “systematic repression” of independent voices in Iran and Ethiopia, where internet shutdowns and mass arrests have become standard tools for state control.

The report argues that physical safety is inextricably linked to legal protection, and that without the latter, the former is impossible to maintain.

To combat this trend, HRW and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) are lobbying for the “UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists” to be upgraded into a legally binding treaty.

This proposed convention would mandate that member states conduct transparent, independent investigations into every journalist’s death and would establish a dedicated UN rapporteur with the power to conduct on-site inspections in conflict zones.

“Truth cannot survive in an environment of impunity,” stated HRW’s Deputy Director in Geneva, emphasizing that 2026 must be the year that international law finally “grows teeth” regarding press protection.

The report also highlights the rising threat of digital surveillance. The use of advanced spyware to track investigative reporters has made “hiding in plain sight” nearly impossible.

HRW is calling for a global moratorium on the sale and transfer of surveillance technology to governments with a documented history of abusing human rights.

As the international community prepares for the World Press Freedom Day Global Conference in May 2026, the HRW report serves as a somber roadmap for the urgent reforms needed to ensure that those who speak truth to power do not pay for it with their lives.

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