3 to the present case. The IACHR sent this communication to the petitioners on January 31, 2006 with a period of one month in which to present observations, which were received on March 15, 2006 and sent to the State in a communication of the IACHR dated March 23, 2006. The petitioners sent a communication on March 28, 2006 in which they requested an extension to present their observations on the merits. The IACHR granted an extension of 30 days to the petitioners on March 29, 2006. 8. The State requested an extension on April 27, 2006, and the IACHR granted a period of 15 days in a communication dated May 22, 2006. The petitioners requested an extension of two months in a communication of April 28, 2006. 9. The Commission received the State’s observations on July 19, 2006 and it sent them to the petitioners on August 10, 2006. The Commission also reiterated its request that the petitioners present their additional observations regarding the merits in order to continue processing the matter. 10. On February 12, 2007, the IACHR received the petitioners’ additional observations regarding the merits and sent them to the State by means of a Communications of April 9, 2007, with a period of two months to present observations. On June 15, 2007, the Commission received a request from the State that an additional extension to present observations be granted, and this request was denied by the IACHR in accordance with Article 38(2) of the Rules of Procedure in place at the time, by means of a communication dated August 3, 2007. 11. The State presented additional observations regarding the merits in a communication of July 25, 2008, and these were sent to the petitioners with a period of one month to present observations on August 6, 2008. The petitioners sent their observations on September 16, 2008, and these were sent to the State on September 26, 2008 with the period of a month to present observations. The State requested that an extension be granted to present its observations in a communication of November 3, 2008, and the Commission granted this request for a period of 20 days on December 22, 2008. 12. On February 26, 2009, the IACHR received the State’s observations, which were sent to the petitioners on March 25, 2009 with the period of a month to present observations. The petitioners presented their observations in a communication of May 5, 2009, and these were sent to the State in a communication of the IACHR of May 5, 2009 with the period of one month. The State presented its observations in a communication of June 26, 2009. 13. On September 1, 2009, the IACHR sent these observations to the petitioners with a period of one month to present their own observations, and they did so on October 6, 2009. On October 7, 2009, the IACHR sent the petitioners’ observations to the State. Subsequently, on May 23, 2011, the IACHR received a communication from the petitioners and acknowledged receipt on July 15, 2011. 14. In a communication of May 2, 2013, the IACHR requested that both parties send a copy of the main procedural documents contained in the military and judicial case files that were relevant to the present case. The petitioners sent the information requested on May 20, 2013, and it was sent to the State on May 21, 2013 with a period of 30 days in which to present observations. The State presented the information requested by the Commission in a communication dated June 3, 2013, and this was sent to the petitioners on June 10, 2013.