6 5. Understands that this acknowledgment of liability is in itself an act of satisfaction towards the victim and his next of kin. 6. Requests to the Honorable Court that, would it be deemed appropriate, the State, the Representatives of the victim and his next of kin be granted the opportunity to reach, with facilitation by the Commission on Human Rights, a friendly settlement on reparations and indemnities, for which the State proposes a maximum delay of six months. 7. In the event the foregoing request is not granted, the State [p]rays to the Honorable Court that the foregoing acknowledgment of liability be taken into consideration and deemed effective to all legal purposes, so that action on the merits of the case be deemed concluded and the hearing be directed to discuss reparations and indemnities. 8. The State points out that this statement does not imply an estimation or assessment of individual criminal liabilities. 27. On March 10 and 11, 2005, the Court held a public hearing, at which there appeared: a) For the Inter-American Commission: Juan Pablo Albán, Counsel; Lilly Ching, Counsel; Verónica Gómez, Counsel; and Víctor H. Madrigal Borloz, Counsel; b) For the Representatives: Viviana Krsticevic, Executive Director of the Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (hereinafter “CEJIL”); Roxana Altholz, attorney-at-law for CEJIL; Rafael Barrios, attorney-at-law for the Corporación Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo” (Lawyers’ Institutional Group “José Alvear Restrepo”); Eduardo Carreño, attorney-at-law for the Corporación Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo” (Lawyers’ Institutional Group “José Alvear Restrepo”); and Jomary Ortegón, attorney-at-law for the Corporación Colectivo de Abogados “José Alvear Restrepo” (Lawyers’ Institutional Group “José Alvear Restrepo”); and c) For the State: Julio Aníbal Riaño, Ambassador, Luz Marina Gil García, Counsel; Luis Alfonso Novoa, Deputy Counsel; Janneth Mabel Lozano Olave, Counsel; Dionisio Araujo, Counsel; Priscila Gutiérrez Cortés, Counsel; and Margarita Manjarrez Herrera, Counsel. Also present were Wilson Gutiérrez-Soler, witness proposed by the Inter-American Commission and the Representatives; Ricardo Gutiérrez-Soler, witness proposed by the Representatives; María Cristina Nunes de Mendonça, expert witness proposed by the Inter-American Commission; and Ana Deutsch and Jaime Prieto, expert witnesses proposed by the Representatives. 28. During the public hearing, the State reiterated the statements contained in the brief dated March 9, 2005 (supra para. 26), to the effect that the State withdrew the preliminary objections it had raised and acknowledged its international liability in the instant case. 29. During the same public hearing, with respect to the acknowledgment of liability made by the State, the Commission stated that: The Commission desires to greet and express its satisfaction to the Republic of Colombia for its having made public its acceptance of the claim against it and its acknowledgment of international liability for having violated the American Convention in relation to the facts asserted in the application filed in the instant case for illegal arrest, torture and violation of the right to fair trial of Mr. Wilson Gutiérrez-Soler. The Commission wishes to highlight, in particular, the words of the declaration that express respect and consideration for the victim and his next of kin and the gesture of contrition we have just witnessed, through which apologies are made to them in the name of the State, and received as a first step along the way to reparation of the damage caused. The Commission understands that the points in fact and in law to be included in the judgment that this Honorable Court will hand down in the instant case will be an invaluable