2 CATAN AND OTHERS v. MOLDOVA AND RUSSIA JUDGMENT schools and their parents: (see the attached annex), complained under Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 to the Convention and Article 8 of the Convention, taken alone and in conjunction with Article 14 about the closure of their schools and their harassment by the separatist Transdniestrian authorities. 4. The applications were allocated to the Fourth Section of the Court (Rule 52 § 1 of the Rules of Court). On 15 June 2010, following a hearing on admissibility and the merits (Rule 54 § 3), they were joined and declared partly admissible by a Chamber of that Section composed of the following judges: N. Bratza, L. Garlicki, A. Kovler, L. Mijović, D. Björgvinsson, J. Šikuta, M. Poalelungi, and also of T.L. Early, Section Registrar. On 14 December 2010 the Chamber relinquished jurisdiction in favour of the Grand Chamber, none of the parties having objected to relinquishment (Article 30 of the Convention and Rule 72). 5. The composition of the Grand Chamber was determined according to the provisions of Article 26 §§ 4 and 5 of the Convention and Rule 24 of the Rules of Court. 6. The applicants and each respondent Government filed further written observations (Rule 59 § 1) on the merits. 7. A hearing took place in public in the Human Rights Building, Strasbourg, on 25 January 2012 (Rule 59 § 3). There appeared before the Court: (a) for the Government of the Republic of Moldova Mr V. GROSU, Mr L. APOSTOL, (b) for the Government of the Russian Federation Mr G. MATYUSHKIN, Ms O. SIROTKINA, Ms I. KORIEVA, Ms A. DZUTSEVA, Mr N. FOMIN, Ms M. MOLODTSOVA, Ms V. UTKINA, Mr A. MAKHNEV, (c) for the applicants Mr P. HUGHES, Ms H. DUFFY, Mr A. POSTICA, Mr I. MANOLE, Mr P. POSTICA, Agent, Adviser; Agent, Advisers; Counsel, Advisers.