16 57. The State, for its part, contends that the impugned articles of the Code of Military Justice were not enforced in the instant case and merely constitute a prerogative of the President of the Republic; that the victims have received satisfaction through Venezuela's acceptance of responsibility, and that the non-pecuniary reparations are inconsistent with international jurisprudence in general, and with that of this Court in particular. 58. In connection with the foregoing, the Court considers that, in effect, Article 54 of the aforementioned Code, which grants the President of the Republic the power to order that a military trial not be held in specific cases when he deems it in the national interest and to order the discontinuance of military trials at any stage, has not been enforced in the instant case. The military authorities charged and prosecuted those responsible for the El Amparo case, and the President of the Republic never ordered the cessation, or any discontinuance, of the trial. 59. In Advisory Opinion OC-14/94, this Court stipulated: The contentious jurisdiction of the Court is intended to protect the rights and freedoms of specific individuals, not to resolve abstract questions. There is no provision in the Convention authorizing the Court, under its contentious jurisdiction, to determine whether a law that has not yet affected the guaranteed rights and freedoms of specific individuals is in violation of the Convention. As has already ben noted, the Commission has that power and, in exercising it, would fulfill its main function of promoting respect for and defense of human rights. The Court also could do so in the exercise of its advisory jurisdiction, pursuant to Article 64(2) [of the Convention] [International Responsibility for the Promulgation and Enforcement of Laws in Violation of the Convention (Arts. 1 and 2, American Convention on Human Rights) Advisory Opinion OC-14/94 of December 9, 1994. Series A No. 14, para. 49.] 60. The Court, pursuant to the above Advisory Opinion, abstains from making a pronouncement in the abstract on the compatibility of Venezuela's Code of Military Justice, and its regulations and instructions, with the American Convention, and therefore does not deem it appropriate to order the Venezuelan State to undertake the reforms sought by the Commission. 61. Continuation of the process for investigating the acts and punishing those responsible is an obligation incumbent upon the State whenever there has been a violation of human rights, an obligation that must be discharged seriously and not as a mere formality. 62. As far as the other non-pecuniary reparations requested by the Commission are concerned, the Court considers that Venezuela's recognition of its responsibility, the January 18, 1995 judgment on the merits of this case (see El Amparo Case, supra 5) and the present judgment rendered by this Court constitute adequate reparation in themselves. XIII 63. With reference to the Commission's request to be awarded costs, the Court has stated on previous occasions that the Commission cannot demand that expenses incurred as a result of its own internal work structure be reimbursed through the assessment of costs (Aloeboetoe et al. Case, Reparations, supra 14, paras. 110-115). XIV