Complaint 7. The Complainants allege violations of Articles 1, 2, 3, 5, 12(1) and (2), 13, 14, 15, 17(1), 18, 19, 22 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (African Charter). Procedure 8. The Communication was received at the Secretariat of the African Commission on 23 January 2006. The Commission was seized of the Communication at its 39th Ordinary Session held from 9-23 May 2006 in Banjul, The Gambia. 9. The parties were informed about the seizure by correspondence dated 17 July 2006. The Complainant was in the same correspondence requested to submit on Admissibility. 10. The Complainants' submissions on Admissibility were received at the Secretariat on 15 September 2006, which acknowledged receipt and forwarded same to the Respondent State by correspondence of 12 October 2006. 11. By Note Verbale of 10 February 2007, the Respondent State was reminded to submit its observations on Admissibility. 12. The Respondent State submitted its argument on Admissibility at the 41st Ordinary Session, in Accra, Ghana. The Admissibility brief was also transmitted to the Complainants during the same session. 13. On 30 August 2007, both parties were informed that the African Commission would take a decision on the Admissibility of the Communication at the 42nd Ordinary Session in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. 14. At its 42nd Ordinary Session held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, the African Commission considered this Communication and decided to defer further consideration of the matter to the 43rd Ordinary Session owing to lack of time. 15. The Communication was subsequently declared admissible at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Commission held from 11 - 25 November 2009. The parties were informed and the Complainant was requested to submit on the Merits. 16. The Complainants' initial submissions on the Merits were received at the Secretariat in May 2010 and a complete electronic copy was made available on 15 November 2012. 17. The Complainants' submissions were transmitted to the Respondent State by correspondence of November 2012, with a request for its observations on the Complainants' submissions. 18. By correspondence of 15 February 2013, the Respondent State requested for an extension of time within which to submit on the Merits in terms of Rule 113 (2) of the Commission's Rules. It also entered a preliminary objection on the admissibility of the Communication and promised to provide particulars of the objection. 19. By correspondence of 14 March 2013, the Respondent State was informed that its request had been granted and it was requested to submit its observations within one month. The Complainants were also informed by correspondence of the same date. 20. By Correspondence of 7 April, the Respondent State was again requested to forward its observations on the Complainants' submission. To date, the Respondent State's observations on the merits as well as 2