SOERING v. THE UNITED KINGDOM JUDGMENT 2 On 7 April 1989 the Secretary to the Commission had informed the Registrar that the Delegate did not propose to reply in writing to the memorials. 6. After consulting, through the Registrar, those who would be appearing before the Court, the President directed on 3 February 1989 that the oral proceedings should open on 24 April 1989 (Rule 38). 7. On 17 February 1989, having been asked to do so by the applicant, the President invited the Commission to produce to the Court all the written and oral pleadings submitted before the Commission. The Commission complied with this request on 22 February. 8. By letter received on 28 March 1989, Amnesty International, London, sought leave to submit written comments (Rule 37 § 2). On 30 March the President granted leave subject to certain conditions. The comments were filed at the registry on 13 April. 9. The hearing took place in public in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg, on the appointed day. The Court had held a preparatory meeting immediately beforehand. There appeared before the Court: - for the Government of the United Kingdom Mr M. WOOD, Legal Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Agent, Sir Patrick MAYHEW, Q.C., M.P., Attorney General, Mr M. BAKER, Barrister-at-Law, Counsel, Miss E. WILMSHURST, Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, Mr D. BENTLEY, Home Office, Mr T. COBLEY, Home Office, Advisers; - for the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany Mr J. MEYER-LADEWIG, Ministerialdirigent, Federal Ministry of Justice, Agent, Mr M. GROTZ, Regierungsdirektor, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs S. WERNER, Richterin am Amtsgericht, Federal Ministry of Justice, Advisers; - for the Commission Mr E. BUSUTTIL, Delegate; - for the applicant Mr Colin NICHOLLS, Q.C., Counsel, Mr R. SPENCER, Solicitor, Mr F. GARDNER, Solicitor, Advisers. The Court heard addresses by Sir Patrick Mayhew for the United Kingdom Government, by Mr Meyer-Ladewig for the German Government, by Mr Busuttil for the Commission and by Mr Nicholls for the applicant.