38 Instruments of the AU Article 54 The Commission shall submit to each ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government a report on its activities. Other Communications Article 55 1. Before each session, the Secretary of the Commission shall make a list of the communications other than those of state parties to the present Charter and transmit them to the members of the Commission, who shall indicate which communications should be considered by the Commission. 2. A communication shall be considered by the Commission if a simple majority of its members so decide. Article 56 Communications relating to human and peoples’ rights referred to in article 55, received by the Commission, shall be considered if they: 1. Indicate their authors even if the latter request anonymity; 2. Are compatible with the Charter of the Organization of African Unity or with the present Charter; 3. Are not written in disparaging or insulting language directed against the state concerned and its institutions or to the Organization of African Unity; 4. Are not based exclusively on news disseminated through the mass media; 5. Are sent after exhausting local remedies, if any, unless it is obvious that this procedure is unduly prolonged; 6. Are submitted within a reasonable period from the time local remedies are exhausted or from the date the Commission is seized of the matter; and 7. Do not deal with cases which have been settled by the states involved in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, or the Charter of the Organization of African Unity or the provisions of the present Charter. Article 57 Prior to any substantive consideration, all communications shall be brought to the knowledge of the state concerned by the Chairman of the Commission. Article 58 1. When it appears after deliberations of the Commission that one or more communications apparently relate to special cases which reveal the existence of a series of serious or massive violations of human and peoples’ rights, the Commission shall draw the attention of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government to these special cases. 2. The Assembly of Heads of State and Government may then request the Commission to undertake an in-depth study of these cases and make a factual report, accompanied by its findings and recommendations. 3. A case of emergency duly noticed by the Commission shall be submitted by the latter to the Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government who may request an in-depth study. Article 59 1. All measures taken within the provisions of the present Chapter shall remain confidential until such a time as the Assembly of Heads of State and Government shall otherwise decide.