BRUSSELS, Belgium: The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday Saudi Arabia suppresses or fails to protect the rights of millions of women, foreign workers and Shiites, and reforms have so far been largely symbolic.

In its annual report for 2010, the human rights group said: "Authorities continue to systematically suppress or fail to protect the rights of nine million Saudi women and girls, eight million foreign workers, and some two million Shiite citizens."

And "each year, thousands of people receive unfair trials or are subject to arbitrary detention," said the report released in Brussels.

Shiites in the kingdom are a target of discrimination, it further said adding "Official discrimination against Shiites encompasses religious practices, education, and the justice system. Government officials exclude Shiites from certain public jobs and policy questions and publicly disparage their faith."