EX.CL/717 (XX) Page 47 33. By the time this Communication was filed before the Commission no private broadcasting license have been granted in Zimbabwe, leaving in place the State broadcasting monopoly. Articles alleged to have been violated: 34. The Complainants allege violation of Articles 1, 2 and 9 of the African Charter.27 Procedure: 35. The Complaint dated 18 August 2005 was received at the Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Secretariat) on 19 August 2005. 36. The Secretariat acknowledged receipt of the same on 22 August 2005. 37. An amended version of the Complaint, dated 6 October 2005, was received by the Secretariat on 11 October 2005. On 11 October 2005, the Secretariat wrote to the Complainants acknowledging receipt thereof. 38. At its 38th Ordinary Session held from 21 November to 5 December 2005 in Banjul, The Gambia, the African Commission considered the communication and decided to be seized thereof. 39. On 15 December 2005, the Secretariat notified the Respondent State of this decision and requested it to forward its written submissions on the Admissibility of the matter. 40. On 30 January 2006, a similar notice was sent to the Complainants also requesting them to forward their written submission on the Admissibility of the matter. 41. On 25 April 2006, the Secretariat received the written submissions of the Complainants on Admissibility. 42. At its 39th Ordinary Session, the African Commission considered the communication and decided to defer it to its 40th Ordinary Session pending the Respondent State’s submission on Admissibility. The parties were notified accordingly. 43. At its 40th Ordinary Session, the African Commission considered the communication and deferred its decision thereof to the next session. The Complainant sent in further submissions on the communication and the Respondent State also made its submissions during the said session. 27 The Complainants also aver that the provisions of Article 9 of the African Charter should be read in light of the African Commission’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa (Declaration), with Principles I, II, III, V, VII and XVI having particular bearing on this communication.