A/HRC/36/38 the granting of provisional or definitive release; and changes of incarceration conditions or venue or of any other similar circumstances. An absence of information or an absence of a response by the source may lead the Working Group to terminate its consideration of the case. 11. In order to facilitate the Working Group’s work, it is hoped that communications will be submitted using the model questionnaire available from the Working Group’s secretariat. Communications shall not exceed 20 pages and any additional material, including annexes, exceeding that limit may not be taken into account by the Working Group. 12. Communications addressed to the Working Group may be received from the individuals concerned, their families or their representatives. Such communications may also be transmitted by Governments and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as well as by national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights. In dealing with communications, the Working Group will give consideration to articles 9, 10 and 14 of the Code of Conduct for Special Procedures Mandate-Holders of the Human Rights Council. 13. In accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4 of Human Rights Commission resolution 1993/36, the Working Group may, on its own initiative, take up cases that might constitute arbitrary deprivation of liberty. 14. When the Working Group is not in session, the Chair-Rapporteur, or in his or her absence the Vice-Chairs (see para. 3 (c) and (d) above), may decide to bring the case to the attention of the Government. B. Consideration of communications 15. In the interest of ensuring mutual cooperation, communications shall be brought to the attention of the Government and the reply of the latter shall be brought to the attention of the source of the communication for its further comments. They shall be transmitted by the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group or, if she or he is not available, by the ViceChairs (see para. 3 (c) and (d) above). In the case of Governments, the letter shall be transmitted through the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva. In the letter the Working Group shall request the Government to reply within 60 days, during which appropriate inquiries may be carried out by the Government so as to furnish the Working Group with the fullest possible information. In the letter the Working Group shall also inform the Government that the Working Group is authorized to render an opinion determining whether the reported deprivation of liberty was arbitrary or not. Replies shall not exceed 20 pages and any additional material, including annexes, exceeding that limit may not be taken into account by the Working Group. If a reply is not received from the Government within the time limit, the Working Group may render an opinion on the basis of the information submitted by the source. 16. If the Government desires an extension of the time limit, it shall inform the Working Group of the reasons for requesting one, so that it may be granted a further period of a maximum of one month in which to reply. Even if no reply has been received upon expiry of the time limit set, the Working Group may render an opinion on the basis of all the information it has obtained. C. Action taken on communications 17. In the light of the information obtained, the Working Group shall take one of the following measures: (a) If the person has been released, for whatever reason, following the referral of the case to the Working Group, the case is filed. The Working Group reserves the right to render an opinion, on a case-by-case basis, whether or not the deprivation of liberty was arbitrary, notwithstanding the release of the person concerned; 4