VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo marked World Press Freedom Day by condemning violations of media freedom around the world and paying tribute to journalists killed while reporting in conflict zones. He said the day showed both the importance of independent journalism and the growing threats faced by reporters.

"Today we celebrate World Press Freedom Day … unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes in blatant ways, sometimes in more hidden forms," Pope Leo said. The pope urged the faithful to remember journalists and reporters who have lost their lives pursuing the truth, particularly in conflict areas.

"We remember the many journalists and reporters who have been victims of war and violence," he said. Leo also said that doing journalists' job could never be considered a crime.

In past speeches, Leo has described journalism as a pillar of society and democracy, and information as a public good that must be safeguarded and defended. He has often thanked reporters for sharing the truth and has frequently called for the release of journalists who have been unfairly detained or prosecuted.

World Press Freedom Day, sponsored by UNESCO, is intended to show support for media organisations that come under pressure or censorship and serves as an opportunity to commemorate journalists who have been killed at work.

A report last month by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs' Costs of War project found that Israel's war on Gaza was the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded, with Israeli forces having killed 232 Palestinian journalists since October 2023. The report found that more journalists have been killed in Gaza than in both world wars, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia, and the United States war in Afghanistan combined.

Last week, Reporters Sans Frontières found that freedom of the press around the world has fallen to its lowest level in a quarter of a century. The organization said more than half of the world's countries fall into the "difficult" or "very serious" categories for press freedom, which it called "a clear sign that journalism is increasingly criminalised worldwide."