II PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT 5. Notification to the State and to the representative. - The submission of the case was notified to the State and the representative of the alleged victims2 (hereinafter referred to as "the representative") through a communication dated August 25, 2021. 6. Brief with pleadings, motions, and evidence. – The representatives did not submit a brief with pleadings, motions, and evidence within the term provided in Article 40(1) of the Court Rules of Procedure (hereinafter the "Rules").3 7. Answering Brief.4 - On January 17, 2022, the State submitted its brief of preliminary objections answering the submission of the case (hereinafter "answering brief") pursuant to Article 41 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court. In this brief, the State submitted two preliminary objections and rejected the alleged violations and the measures of reparation requested by the Commission. 8. Observations on the preliminary objections. – On March 23, 2022, the Commission presented its observations on the preliminary objections raised by the State. The representatives did not present observations against these objections. 9. Public Hearing. – By Resolution of December 1, 2022,5 the President of the Court called the parties and the Commission to a public hearing that was held on February 3, 2023, during the 155th Ordinary Session of the Court, in San José, Costa Rica.6 During the course of the hearing, statements were received from two of the alleged victims, called by the Court ex officio, and from an expert witness who was proposed by the Commission. Furthermore, the State acknowledged its responsibility for the violation of Articles 8(1) and 25(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights, in relation to Article 1(1) of the same instrument. 10. Final written arguments and observations. - On March 3, 2023, the Commission submitted its final written observations. On the same date, the State and the representatives submitted their respective final written arguments and annexes. In its final written arguments, the State reiterated the acknowledgement of responsibility made during the public hearing and withdrew the two The alleged victims are represented in the proceedings before the Court by attorney Renato Javier Villacís Tubon. Through a note transmitted to the parties and the Commission on October 22, 2021, the Court Registrar, following instructions from the Presidency, granted an exceptional extension of the term to submit the brief with pleadings, motions, and evidence, in response to the request made by the representatives due to his health condition. However, such brief was also not submitted during the additional term granted, therefore, through a communication dated November 17, 2021, the Court Registrar informed the parties and the Commission that, following the instructions of the Presidency, the processing of the case would continue. 4 The State appointed María Fernanda Álvarez Alcívar as the principal agent and Mirella Tonato Chica, Carlos Espín Arias, and Alonso Fonseca Garcés as alternate agents. 5 Cf. Núñez Naranjo et al. v. Ecuador. Call to hearing. Resolution of the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of December 1, 2022. https://www.corteidh.or.cr/docs/asuntos/nunez_naranjo_01_12_2022.pdf. 6 The following appeared at this hearing: a) for the Inter-American Commission: Erick Acuña Pereda and Daniela Saavedra, legal advisors of the Commission; b) the representative: Renato Javier Villacís Tubon, and c) by the State: María Fernanda Álvarez Alcívar, National Director of Human Rights; Sebastián Vallejo Constantine, Deputy Director of Human Rights; Juan Carlos Álvarez León and Alonso Fonseca Garcés, lawyers. 2 3 -5-