by affidavit and to hear the presumed victims and expert witnesses whose direct testimony is truly essential at the public hearing, taking into account the circumstances of the case and the purpose of the testimony and opinions. D.1. Statements to be provided by affidavit 19. Taking into account the provisions of Article 50(1) of the Rules of Procedure, the information provided by the Inter-American Commission and the representative with their final lists of deponents and in the brief of July 31, 2012 (supra having seen paragraphs 11 and 16), the purpose of the statements offered, as well as the principle of procedural economy, the President finds it desirable to receive, by affidavit, the statements of the following presumed victims: César Alberto Mendoza; Claudio David Núñez; Lucas Matías Mendoza; Saúl Cristian Roldán Cajal; Isolina del Carmen Herrera; Ana María del Valle Brito; Florinda Rosa Cajal; Romina Beatriz Muñoz; Jorgelina Amalia Díaz; Dora Noemí Mendoza; Yolanda Elizabeth Núñez; Omar Maximiliano Mendoza; Elizabeth Paola Mendoza; Yohana Elizabeth Roldán, Marilyn Estefanía Videla and Marta Graciela Olguín, all offered by the representative. In addition, the President finds it pertinent to receive by affidavit the expert opinions of Laura Dolores Sobredo and Liliana Gimol Pinto, offered by the representative, and of Alberto Bovino and Lawrence O. Gostin, offered by the Inter-American Commission. 20. In application of the provisions of Article 50(5) of the Rules of Procedure, the President proceeds to grant the State and the representative the opportunity, if they so wish, to submit the questions they deem pertinent to the deponents and expert witnesses of the representative and of the Inter-American Commission referred to in the preceding paragraph. Furthermore, in accordance with the provisions of Article 52(3) of the Rules of Procedure, the President grants the Inter-American Commission the opportunity to question expert witness Liliana Gimol Pinto, offered by the representative, in keeping with the terms of considering paragraph 17 of this Order. When preparing their affidavits, the alleged victims and the expert witnesses must answer these questions, unless the President determines otherwise. The corresponding time frames will be established in the second operative paragraph of this Order. The said statements will be forwarded to the InterAmerican Commission, the representative, and the State. In turn, the State and the representative may submit any observations they deem pertinent within the time frame indicated in this Order (infra fourth operative paragraph). The probative value of these statements will be determined opportunely by the Court, which will consider all the points of view, if applicable, expressed by the representative and the State in the exercise of their right to defense. D.2. Statements of alleged victims and expert opinions to be received at the public hearing 21. This case is ready for the opening of the oral proceedings with regard to the preliminary objections and eventual merits, reparations, and costs; consequently, the President finds it pertinent to convene a public hearing in order to receive the statement of alleged victim Stella Maris Fernández, offered by the representative, and the expert opinions of Miguel Cillero Bruñol and Sofía Tiscornia, offered by the Inter-American Commission and the representative, respectively. E. Application of the Victims’ Legal Assistance Fund 22. In the Order adopted by the President on May 8, 2012 (supra having seen paragraph 7), it was decided to declare admissible the request filed by the presumed victims, through their representative, to access the Court’s Assistance Fund; thus, the necessary financial 8