On World Press Freedom Day, Pope Leo honored journalists who lost their lives covering war zones and called on people to remember their sacrifice.
After his weekly Sunday prayer in Saint Peter’s Square, the pope spoke out against violations of press freedom around the world and highlighted the need for independent journalism.
“Today we celebrate World Press Freedom Day … unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in blatant ways, sometimes in more hidden forms,” he said.
UNESCO established this annual day to highlight the importance of free media in democracy and to honor journalists who have been killed or persecuted for their work.
Pope Leo reminded everyone about the risks reporters face, especially in conflict zones. “We remember the many journalists and reporters who have been victims of war and violence,” he added.
Recent reports show how serious the situation is. The Watson Institute’s Costs of War project found that Israel’s war in Gaza has been the deadliest conflict ever for media workers, with 232 Palestinian journalists killed since October 2023.
This number is higher than journalist deaths in both world wars, the Vietnam War, the Yugoslav conflicts, and the U.S. war in Afghanistan combined.
The Pope often says journalism is a key part of democracy and that information should be protected as a public good.
He regularly thanks reporters for their bravery, says telling the truth should never be a crime, and calls for the release of journalists who are unfairly detained.
His comments come at a time when press freedom is at a historic low. Last week, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said global press freedom has dropped to its lowest point in 25 years.
For the first time since RSF started its index in 2002, more than half of the world’s countries are now considered “difficult” or “very serious” places for journalism, showing a clear rise in repression and criminalization of the profession.
