RSF - Reporters sans frontières

10/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/09/2026 04:00

2026 Bayeux War Reporters’ Memorial: RSF pays tribute to slain journalists

The 2026 memorial stone at the Bayeux War Reporters' Memorial, honouring the 56 journalists killed in the course of their work over the past year, was unveiled on Thursday, 8 October, by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Director General Thibaut Bruttin, in the presence of the families and loved ones of several of the slain news professionals, including Ilya Politkovsky, the son of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was assassinated exactly twenty years ago today. A special tribute was paid to the Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza.

The 2026 stele at the Bayeux War Reporters' Memorial was unveiled this Thursday, 8 October, as part of the ceremony for the 33rd Bayeux-Calvados-Normandy Awards for War Correspondents. Engraved on the white marble are 56 names of journalists from around the world - including Palestine, Lebanon, Ukraine, Colombia and Mexico - who paid with their lives for their commitment to keeping the public informed.

"Today, a dark wind blows against press freedom. Everywhere, journalists are facing headwinds: they are threatened, intimidated, prosecuted, or killed because they investigate, verify, question and hold those in power to account. And the predators are gaining ground. We must tirelessly remind ourselves that journalists' role is not to be loyal to the powerful, whoever they may be, but to remain faithful to the facts. The 56 names inscribed this year on the Bayeux memorial are the women and men who paid with their lives for doing their job. All the journalists murdered for their work highlight our obligation to protect those who investigate the truth and to pursue those who threaten them. We reject the message that you could be killed for doing your job and that those who had you killed can get away with it. That is the reason, year after year, of our presence in Bayeux. It is a renewed pledge of commitment to a free press.

Thibaut Bruttin
RSF Director General

Families and loved ones keep the memory of slain journalists alive

Of the 56 names inscribed on the memorial this year, 27 belong to Palestinian and Lebanese journalists. During the ceremony, particular attention was paid to the Palestinian journalists killed in Gaza and the difficulties their loved ones face in making their voices heard beyond the besieged territory.

Anas al-Khaldi, the brother of Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Khaldi, who was killed while working in Gaza, was unable to travel to Bayeux. He sent a letter that was read during the ceremony by reporter Arthur Sarradin, a correspondent for several international media outlets based in Beirut, Lebanon.

"I remember very clearly how Israel began directly, deliberately and intentionally targeting journalists, particularly in northern Gaza. The message seemed clear: 'You are a journalist. You report the news. Therefore, you are on our list of targets.'"

Anas al-Khaldi
Brother of the Palestinian journalist Mohammed al-Khaldi

In 2024, RSF planted an olive tree in tribute to the Palestinian journalists killed since 7 October 2023. Their courage and dedication to upholding the right to information were honoured with a message engraved in marble on a memorial stone erected in their memory: "In memory of an unprecedented tragedy. To all journalists killed in Gaza."

In Latin America, journalists face severe violence

The ceremony also paid tribute to journalists killed in Latin America, where violence continues to take a heavy toll on media professionals. This is especially true in Mexico, where eight journalists have been murdered since the start of 2026.

In Colombia, Cristian Hernando Herrera Nariño, who had spent more than 20 years investigating organised crime, corruption and armed violence, was murdered on 6 June 2026, in Cúcuta. His partner, Karla Gabriela Niño Claro, and their two children were present in Bayeux and paid a heartfelt tribute to him.

"Cristian Herrera was much more than a byline or a voice in the media. He was a passionate journalist, a loyal friend, a loving father and a devoted husband, always driven by what mattered most to him: journalism, his friends and his family. He approached his profession with unwavering intensity and determination, convinced that journalism is not merely a profession, but a profound commitment to society. [...] Every story he investigated, every line he wrote reflected his deep desire to give a voice to those who had none.

Karla Gabriela Niño Claro
Wife of journalist Cristian Hernando Herrera Nariño

Persistent impunity for journalists' murders

The ceremony also paid tribute to journalists killed in Ukraine, including French photojournalist Antoni Lallican. His partner, Aïda Belloulid, spoke in Bayeux.

"Why does Russia allow itself to kill civilians, aid workers and journalists in Ukraine every day? Simply because it can. The countless war crimes committed by Russian leaders and armed forces have consistently gone unpunished. We saw them not so long ago in Syria, torturing, bombing and killing thousands of civilians, amid the indifference of the international community and Russians themselves. Today, in Ukraine, these same crimes continue. The same impunity persists. These war criminals must be brought to justice.

Aïda Belloulid
Partner of photojournalist Antoni Lallican

Twenty years after the assassination of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, her son, Ilya Politkovsky, was also present in Bayeux to honour her memory. The journalist documented the war in Chechnya and exposed the abuses of the Russian authorities.

"She went where others were afraid to go. She simply could not turn away from the suffering of others. [...] Twenty years later, I often think about how much she had foreseen. Even then, she could see the lies and propaganda gradually taking hold in society. She saw fear becoming an instrument of power. She also saw how war transforms not only those on the front lines, but society as a whole. She was already describing with great clarity where propaganda, fear, war and the destruction of freedom of expression can lead.

Ilya Politkovsky
Son of journalist Anna Politkovskaïa

The list of 56 journalists on the 2026 memorial stone

The 56 names engraved on the 2026 Bayeux War Reporters' Memorial are of journalists killed in connection with their work between 1 June 2025 and 1 June 2026.

The list of journalists, in order of the date of their death:

Mohammed Al-Talmas

Hassan Mousa

Al-Shykh Al-Samany "Sheikho" Mousa Abdul

Ahmad Qalaja

Samir Rifai

Moamen Abu Alouf

Turki Al-Jasser

Salomón Ordóñez Miranda

Khandaker Shah Alam

Ismail Abu Hatab

Ángel Sevilla

Martín Melvin García Carvajal

Ronald Paz Pedro

Erwin "Boy Pana" Segovia

Asaduzzaman Tuhin

Mohammed al-Khaldi

Mohamed Nofal

Anas al-Sharif

Moamen Aliwa

Mohammed Qraiqea

Ibrahim al-Thaher

Khaled al-Madhoun

Hassan Douhan

Moaz Abu Taha

Mohamad Salama

Ahmed Abu Aziz

Mariam Abu Dagga

Hossam al-Masri

Yahia Barzaq

Antoni Lallican

Ahmed Abu Mutair

Yevhen Karmazin

Olena Hubanova

Miguel Ángel Beltrán Martínez

Robinson Del Pezo Cañarete

Darwin Baque

Juan Fernando Núñez Guevara

Mitzar Castillejos Tenazoa

Thierry Banga Lole

Carlos Leonardo Ramírez Castro

Mohammad Salah Qashta

Abdul Raouf Samir Shaath

Anas Ghanem

Amal Shemali

Juan David Gámez

Julito "Jaz" Calo

Abdelsamad al-Qadi

Fatima Ftouni

Mohammad Ftouni

Joe Nam

RJ Nichole Ledesma

Amal Khalil

Carlos Humberto Cal Ical

Mateo Pérez Rueda

Nestor "Teting" Micator

Cristian Hernando Herrera Nariño

Published on 08.10.2026
RSF - Reporters sans frontières published this content on October 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 09, 2026 at 10:00 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]