B. Alleged violations 5. The Applicants allege violation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, which includes the right to hold opinions without interference and the right to seek, receive and disseminate information and ideas, regardless of borders, through any media protected by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). III. SUMMARY OF THE PROCEDURE BEFORE THE COURT 6. The Application was filed on 22 March 2021, together with a request for provisional measures. 7. On 28 September 2021, the Application was served on the Respondent State for its observations on the request for provisional measures to be filed within fifteen (15) days of receipt. The Respondent State was also requested to submit the list of its representatives within thirty (30) days and its Response to the merits within ninety (90) days. 8. On 20 October 2021, the Respondent State filed its Response to the request for provisional measures. On 24 March 2022, the Court issued an Order dismissing the request for provisional measures and this was notified to the parties on 4 April 2022. 9. The Respondent State did not file a Response on the merits of the Application despite reminders sent to it on 11 February and on 16 November 2022. 10. Pleadings were closed on 30 June 2023 and the Parties were duly notified. 3