4 16. On March 5, 2002 the parents of the alleged victims and Mónica Feria Tinta (hereinafter “the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin”) sent a copy of the power of attorney granted by the former for the latter to represent them in the proceeding before the Inter-American Court. On March 22, 2002 the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin also sent a copy of the power of attorney granted to her by the siblings of the alleged victims to process the case before the Court. 17. In its March 21, 2002 note, the State informed the Court that it appointed Francisco José Eguiguren Praeli as Judge ad hoc. It also informed the Court of the appointment of Julio Quintanilla Loaiza as its agent. 18. On April 15, 2002, the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin, after two extensions granted, submitted her written brief containing pleadings, motions, and evidence, together with its appendixes. 19. On April 22, 2002 the State sent its brief replying to the application. 20. On May 10, 2002 the Secretariat forwarded the written brief containing pleadings, motions, and evidence, together with its appendixes, to the State and to the Inter-American Commission and it informed them that they had 30 days time to submit whatever observations they deemed pertinent regarding the requests made by the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin. 21. On October 21, 2002 the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin sent a letter reporting that “the [Gómez Paquiyauri] family [wa]s being harassed by the Agent of the Peruvian State”. 22. On November 18, 2002 the Court issued an Order in which it “[d]eclare[d] that Francisco José Eguiguren has no impediment to act as judge ad hoc in the instant case”, in connection with the questions raised by the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin regarding the role of the judge ad hoc. 23. On May 14, 2003 an amicus curiae brief was filed in the instant case.2 24. On March 1, 2004 the President of the Court issued an Order for Bent Sorensen and Ole Vedel Rasmussen to submit their expert opinions by means of statements rendered before a notary public (affidavit), which should be sent to the Court no later than March 22, 2004 and would be forwarded to the Inter-American Commission and to the State for them to submit whatever observations they deem pertinent. The President also summoned the Commission, the State, and the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin to a public hearing that would be held at the seat of the Inter-American Court, beginning on May 5, 2004, to hear their final oral pleadings on the merits, reparations, and costs, as well as the testimony and expert opinions of the individuals listed below (infra para. 28). In this Order, the President also informed the parties that they had until June 7, 2004 to submit their final written pleadings on the merits, reparations, and costs. 25. On March 22, 2004 the representative of the alleged victims and their next of kin forwarded the statement made in English by Bent Sorensen before a notary 2 The amicus curiae brief was filed by James Crawford and Simon Olleson.