C!'f~;,ACHPR ) • African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Human Rights our Collective Responsibility PROCEDURE 14. The Secretariat received the complaint on 11 September 2012. The Commission was seized of the Communication during its 52nd Ordinary Session. The parties were informed of the fact of seizure and the complaint was transmitted to the Respondent State by correspondence dated 1 November 2012. The Complainants were also requested on the same date to submit observations on Admissibility. 15. On 7 January 2013,the Complainants' submissions on admissibility were received at the Secretariat and transmitted to the Respondent State by correspondence dated 7 January 2013. The Respondent State was in the same correspondence requested to submit its observations on the Victim's submissions on Admissibility. 16. The Communication was deferred from the 53rd Ordinary Session due to the Respondent State's failure to submit its observations. -Following this, correspondence dated 15 May was sent to the Respondent State requesting the latter to submit its observations; otherwise, the Commission would proceed to examine the admissibility of the Communication based on the information before it. The Respondent State never submitted its observation on the admissibility of the Communication. 17. The Communication was during tHe 54th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights from 22 October - 05 November 2013 decided to be admissible and the parties were fully notified of the decision and advised to submit their observations on the merits of the complaint by the letter dated 22ndNovember 2013. 18. The Complainants by the letters dated 29th December 2013 and 8th January 2014 did request for extension of time to present their written submission on merits and were granted. 19. The Complainants' submission on merits was received at the secretariat from the extended time on 27thFebruary 2014 and was acknowledged on 6th March 2014and the same date, the submissions were forwarded to the Respondent State for its observations under Rule 108 of the Commission's Rules of Procedure. 20. The Secretariat received an expert statement on Virginity Testing from the Independence Forensic Expert Group from the International Council for Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (IRTC). The Secretariat acknowledged receipt of the st ent by letter dated 26th February 2015. The African Commissi