18. On 3 March 2015, the Complainant submitted on the Merits of the Communication, which was transmitted to the Respondent State on 6 March 2015. 19. On 23 June 2015, the Respondent State submitted on the Merits, which was forwarded to the Complainant on the same day. 20. The Commission deferred consideration on the Merits of the Communication from its 57th Ordinary Session to the 27th Extra Ordinary Session. The Law on Admissibility Submissions of the Complainant 21. The Complainant submits that the Communication satisfies all the Admissibility requirements contained in Article 56 of the African Charter and presents arguments in support of that submission. 22. On Article 56(1) of the African Charter, it is the Complainant’s submission that the Communication complies with the requirement of identity, and that no request for anonymity was made. The Complainant argues therefore, that the Communication satisfies the requirements in Article 56(1) of the African Charter. 23. In relation to Article 56 (2) of African Charter, the Complainant contends that the Communication raises issues that are within the scope of the implementation and operation of the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU) as well as the African Charter. Accordingly, the Complainant argues that the Communication satisfies the requirement in Article 56(2) of the African Charter. 24. Regarding Article 56 (3) of the African Charter, the Complainant submits that the requirement is met because the Communication is not written in disparaging language which is disrespectful of the State’s institutions or the organs of the AU. 25. With regards to 56 (4) of the African Charter, the Complainant submits that the Communication is based on existing operational laws such as the Electoral Act of Zimbabwe and the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The Complainant therefore contends that the facts are not based exclusively on news disseminated through the mass media and that the Communication satisfies the requirements of Article 56(4) of the African Charter. 26. In relation to Article 56 (5) of the African Charter, the Complainant submits that local remedies are non-existent and unavailable because “the provisions complained of are provided for in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and as such there are no prospects of success in litigation before the domestic courts”. The 4

Select target paragraph3