14 5) María Maura Contreras, victim proposed by the representatives, who testified on the alleged suffering that the uncertainty about the whereabouts of Gregoria Herminia, Serapio Cristian and Julia Inés Contreras and the alleged impunity in the case had caused to her and her family; the effect on her and her family of the reunion with Gregoria Herminia Contreras, and the measures she considers that the State could take to provide reparation for the alleged violations. 6) Fermín Recinos, victim proposed by the representatives, who testified on the alleged suffering that the alleged disappearances of Gregoria Herminia, Serapio Cristian and Julia Inés Contreras and the lack of justice in the case caused him; the effect on him and his family of the reunion with Gregoria Herminia Contreras, and the measures he considers that the State could take to provide reparation for the alleged violations. 7) Douglass Cassel, professor, University of Notre Dame, and director of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, expert witness proposed by the Inter-American Commission, who gave an expert opinion on the appropriation of children by State officials as a form of forced disappearance of persons; the characteristics of this human rights violation, the corresponding State obligations, and the measures that, in accordance with the relevant international standards, could be taken by the State to discover the whereabouts of children who are victims of this practice and to order the appropriate measures of reparation. 8) Viktor Jovev,22 legal expert, member of the International Commission on Missing Persons, and expert witness proposed by the representatives, who gave his expert opinion on the need to create an institute for anthropology and forensic genetics in El Salvador, as well as on the characteristics and instruments of an institute of this nature. 9) Ana Georgina Ramos de Villalta, director of the Children’s Rights Information Network (CRIN) with working experience in the promotion of the human rights of children and adolescents in El Salvador, expert witness proposed by the representatives, who gave an expert opinion on the common characteristics that have been identified in the cases of forced disappearance of children in El Salvador, with special emphasis on the possible effects on their identity. 31. In addition, during the public hearing, the Court heard the testimony of the following persons: 1) Gregoria Herminia Contreras, victim proposed by the representatives, who testified on the conditions in which she was forced to live and the effects that the alleged forced separation from her family had on her identity; the alleged suffering due to her separation from her parents and siblings, and the uncertainty of not knowing what happened to Serapio Cristian and Julia Inés Contreras, and the actions that she considered the State could adopt to repair the alleged violations caused to her and her family. 22 Regarding Viktor Jovev’s expert opinion, the Court observes that, in an Order dated April 14, 2011, the President ordered that expert witnesses Viktor Jovev and Thomas J. Parsons provide a joint opinion before notary public (affidavit), and that this opinion should be submitted by May 5, 201, at the latest (supra para. 9, operative paragraphs 1(b)(3) and 2). On May 5, 2011, the representatives submitted the opinion of Viktor Jovev, which had not been notarized, and it was not until May 25, 2011, that they forwarded the opinion given before notary public. In addition, Thomas Parsons did not participate in the preparation of the expert opinion offered by the representatives “as it was not possible […] to contact him by the established deadline.”