(African Charter) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). IV. PROCEDURE BEFORE THE COURT 5. The Initiating Application was filed on 18 June 2021 and served on the Respondent by electronic means on the same day. 6. The Respondent did not file any response. 7. During the virtual court session on 20 October 2021, both parties were represented. While the Applicants made an oral submission the Respondent did not. The Court having certified that the Respondent was duly served with the Application, adjourned the case to 17 February 2022 for judgment. V. APPLICANTS’ CASE a) Summary of facts 8. The first Applicant is a non-governmental organization registered to support the cause of women and girls. The second to fourth Applicants are individuals who allege that they were key promoters of a protest scheduled for 28 March 2021 to be held in Benin City, Edo State Nigeria. The aim of the protest was to draw Government’s attention to the hike in fuel prices, sachet water and cement and its link with monopoly. In view of which the second to fourth Applicants and other persons traveled from different parts of the country to participate in the protest. 9. The claim of the Applicants is that on the day scheduled for the protest, as they assembled at the National Museum ground premises to coordinate the rally, security agents of the Respondent stormed the premises and locked them in for hours. Likewise other individuals who later came to participate 4