150 journalists killed covering corruption since 2012: CPI

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 12 February 2026 |  JP Global Monitoring

Transparency International's CPI 2025 links public-sector corruption to attacks on journalists probing graft, reporting 150 journalists killed for corruption-related reporting since 2012. It finds most victims were in countries scoring below 50 on the CPI.

Summary

BERLIN — Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 highlights a stark connection between high levels of perceived public-sector corruption and the killing of journalists investigating corruption-related stories.

The report notes that when journalists are attacked or killed for exposing corruption, accountability mechanisms weaken and corruption tends to worsen. Since 2012, 829 journalists have been murdered in non-conflict zones worldwide, according to data cited from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Journalists covering corruption face heightened danger

Of the 829 journalists killed in non-conflict zones since 2012, 150 were reporting on corruption-related issues. Five of those killings occurred in 2025, underscoring that the threat remains ongoing rather than historical.

Among the cases cited are Turki al-Jasser, who was executed by Saudi Arabian authorities after seven years in detention, and Gastón Medina, who was shot outside his home in Peru at the age of 30. These cases, highlighted in the CPI 2025 findings, illustrate the risks faced by reporters investigating alleged wrongdoing by powerful actors.

More than 90 percent of the 150 journalists killed while covering corruption since 2012 were in countries with a CPI score below 50. The countries referenced include Brazil, India, Mexico, Pakistan, and Iraq, environments described as particularly dangerous for journalists reporting on corruption.

Civic space and media safety are closely connected

The CPI 2025 report further observes that countries where freedoms of expression, assembly, and association are protected tend to control corruption more effectively. Conversely, among the 50 countries whose CPI scores have significantly declined, 36 have also experienced a reduction in civic space.

Transparency International emphasizes that attacks on journalists weaken democratic oversight and allow corrupt practices to flourish unchecked. The findings reinforce long-standing concerns among press freedom advocates that media safety is directly linked to governance outcomes.

WHY THIS MATTERS: For Pakistani journalists and media organizations, the data underscores the direct link between corruption reporting and physical risk. Newsrooms covering accountability and governance issues must strengthen safety protocols, legal preparedness, and cross-border collaboration to mitigate threats. The findings also highlight the need for institutional protections that allow investigative reporting to continue without fear of violence.

ATTRIBUTION: Based on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 and data compiled by the Committee to Protect Journalists, as cited in the CPI report.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.