iv. Ms Nkasori SARAKIKYA, Assistant Director, Human Rights, Principal State Attorney, Attorney General’s Chambers; v. Ms Aidah KISUMO, Senior State Attorney, Attorney General’s Chambers; and vi. Ms Blandina KASAGAMA, Legal Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation. After deliberation, Renders this Judgment: I. THE PARTIES 1. Matoke Mwita and Masero Mkami (hereinafter referred to as “the Applicants”) are Tanzanian nationals who, at the time of filing this Application, were serving a life sentence at Butimba Central Prison, Mwanza Region, having been convicted of the offences of gang rape and robbery with violence. The Applicants allege the violation of their rights in relation to domestic proceedings. 2. The Application is filed against the United Republic of Tanzania (hereinafter referred to as “the Respondent State”), which became a Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Charter”) on 21 October 1986 and to the Protocol on 10 February 2006. Furthermore, the Respondent State, on 29 March 2010, deposited the Declaration prescribed under Article 34(6) of the Protocol (hereinafter referred to as “the Declaration”), by virtue of which it accepted the jurisdiction of the Court to receive applications from individuals and NonGovernmental Organisations. On 21 November 2019, the Respondent State deposited with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, an instrument withdrawing its Declaration. The Court has previously held that this withdrawal has no bearing on pending cases and new cases filed before 2