The United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers delivered a damning verdict on the state of the UAE judiciary, following a 28 January-5 February visit. Gabriela Knaul is not due to present her written report to the UN until 2015, but has made public her preliminary findings, concluding that the federal judicial system “remains under the de facto control of the executive branch of government”. Her assessment will not come as a surprise to GSN readers familiar with the manner in which the UAE has dealt with those accused of posing a threat to state security in recent years.