I called my family 20 days after who could lend me a anyone from the Pakistani embassy either during this time, because they visit jail once in a month [sic] aking the first 20 days. After about 18- 20 days, I asked a fellow inmate to make a phone call to my family, who allowed me to call.4 Another former detainee, Rashid, said that following his drug-related arrest authorities did not allow him to contact his family members for 16 days. When he finally managed to contact his family, he said they were conducting his memorial service, assuming he had died.5 Detention Without Charge said that Saudi authorities held them for long periods, in one case up to eight months, without bringing them before a Saudi judge. Article 11 of Saudi Arabia s criminal procedure law allows criminal justice authorities to hold detainees in detention for up to six months without seeing a judge, after which they must transfer their case to a competent court.6 Detentions beyond six months without charge or trial or without an appearance before a judge are arbitrary and violate Saudi law. The six-month detention period allowed by Saudi law itself represents a violation of international standards. Principle 11 of the United Nations Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment states that a ven an effective opportunity to be heard promptly by a judicial or decision to continue detention.7 The Arab Charter on Human Rights, which Saudi Arabia ratified in 2009, also guarantees the right of anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge to be brought promptly before a judge or other officer of the law, and to have a trial within a reasonable time or be released. The charter says that, -trial detention shall in 8 4 Ibid. 5 Justice project Pakistan interview with Rashid, Khushab, December 23, 2015. 6 Law of Criminal Procedure, art. 11 . Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, adopted December 9, 1988, GA res. 43/173, annex, 43 UN GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 298, UN Doc. A/43/49 (1988). 7 League of Arab States, Arab Charter for Human Rights, adopted May 22, 2004, reprinted in 12 Int'l Hum. Rts. Rep. 893 (2005), entered into force March 15, 2008, art 14.5. 8 AUGHT IN A WEB 12