CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper, Asia Programme Coordinator of CPJ Abi Wright, Sri Lankan journalist Iqbal Athas and Indonesian journalist Andreas Harsono yesterday visited the injured photojournalist Firoz Choudhury of national daily Prothom Alo at Shamarita Hospital.

Cooper said as journalists play a vital role in democracy and people learn about everyday events through them, the government should provide the journalists with special security measures.

She said attack on journalists is a violation of press freedom. "It's the home ministry's responsibility to ensure journalists' safety."

She went on to say that the government should probe the attacks on newspersons and protect them from such incidents. To ensure democracy, the government must ensure first the basic human rights.

The delegation paid a courtesy call on Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury at his office yesterday.

The delegates told newspersons at the hospital that the home minister said journalists often fall prey to attackers during clashes, as it is not possible to distinguish them from common people.

They will give today a summary of their observation at a press conference at Sonargaon Pan Pacific Hotel.