Existing research presents conflicting evidence on how political institutions affect journalist killings. Some suggest most murders occur in the middle of the regime spectrum, while others indicate increased safety in democracies. Another perspective argues journalists are most vulnerable in democracies. This article uncovers which institutions effectively protect journalists. Using global data on journalist killings between 2002 - 2016, it showcases to which extent each of the three hypothesized relationships is empirically observable. My study provides a unified theoretical framework and reveals: Most murders occur in the middle of the regime spectrum. Electoral democratic institutions offer insufficient protection - journalists are safe only in liberal democracies. Demonstrating that evolving definitions of 'democracy' affect our conclusions, my article highlights the need to prioritize defining contemporary democracy. When studying journalist killings over the past two decades, the electoral to liberal democracy threshold holds greater importance than the democracy-autocracy distinction.
