Jonny Jacinto Casierra Quiñonez, Sebastián Darlin Casierra Quiñonez, and Shirley Lourdes Quiñonez Bone. In addition, the Commission asked the Court to order that the State grant several measures of reparation. II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT 6. Appointment of Inter-American Public Defenders. – Through communications dated October 5 and 12, 2020, and in accordance with Article 37 of the Court's Rules of Procedure, the alleged victims requested that the Court appoint an inter-American public defender since they had no legal representation during the case's processing. Accordingly, in response to the request made in a note from the Secretariat dated October 7, 2020, the General Coordination of the Inter-American Association of Public Defenders (AIDEF), based on article two of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Inter-American Court and said Association, on October 15 of the same year, said Association appointed Inter-American public defenders Javier Mogrovejo and Carlos Benjamín Flores Vázquez as principals, and Sandra Lorena Haro Colomé as alternate (hereinafter “the representatives” or “the Inter-American Public Defenders”).2 7. Notification to the State and to the representatives. – The submission of the case was notified to the State3 and to the representatives in communications dated October 20, 2020. 8. Brief with pleadings, motions, and evidence. – The representatives of the alleged victims filed their brief with pleadings, motions, and evidence (hereinafter “pleadings and motions brief”) on December 20, 2020. In said brief, they said they were "share[ing], support[ing] and [...] adhere[ing]" to the content of the Merits Report and, additionally, requested that the international responsibility of the State be declared for violation of Articles 11(1) , 11(2), 11(3), 17(1), 21(1), 21(2) and 24 of the American Convention, in relation to articles 1(1) and 2 of said instrument. They also requested various measures of reparation. 9. Answering brief with preliminary objections. – The State submitted its brief answering the submission and Merits Report of the Commission and the pleadings and motions brief on March 29, 2021 (hereinafter, “the answering brief”). In said brief, Ecuador raised a preliminary objection. It requested that the Court declare that it is not internationally responsible for the alleged violations and, consequently, that it “[a]bstain from ordering” reparation measures. 10. Observations on the preliminary exception. –In briefs dated July 19, 2021, the Commission and the representatives, respectively, submitted their observations on the preliminary objection raised by the State. 11. Public Hearing. – Through an Order of December 8, 2021, the Court President summoned the parties and the Commission to a public hearing on the preliminary objection, and eventual merits, reparations, and costs.4 Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the COVID19 pandemic, the public hearing was held via videoconference, as provided in the Court's Rules of Procedure, on February 11, 2022, during the 146th Regular Period of Court Sessions.5 On March 21, 2022, AIDEF reported that Sandra Lorena Haro Colomé would replace Carlos Benjamín Flores Vázquez, given that the latter had resigned from the position of public defender. 3 In a communication dated November 11, 2020, the State appointed María Fernanda Álvarez as its Agent, and Carlos Espín Arias and Magda Aspirot as Deputy Agents. 4 Cf. Case of Casierra Quiñonez et al. Ecuador. Convocation of hearing. Order from the President of the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights of December 8, 2021. Available at: https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/asuntos/casierra_quinonez_08_12_2021.pdf. 5 The following parties appeared at the hearing: a) for the Commission: Marisol Blanchard, Deputy Executive Secretary of the IACHR; Jorge Meza Flores, Counsel, and Erick Acuña Pereda, Counsel; b) in representation of the alleged victims: Javier Mogrovejo Mata, and c) for the Ecuadorian State: María Fernanda Álvarez, National Director 2 5