The present document is a joint letter dated 23 December 2011 from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Social Affairs regarding the April 2011 suspension of the elected executive board of the UAE’s Jurist Association, and the appointment of state appointees. The independence of judges and lawyers is highlighted as an essential requirement for the protection of human rights and the rule of law, as reflected in the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.