MONTREAL: Amnesty International`s new secretary general, Salil Shetty, on Monday accused the Canadian government of a "serious worsening" of human rights in Canada.

"Amnesty International is more and more concerned about the serious worsening of the human rights approach of this government," Shetty said in a speech to the CIVICUS world assembly on citizen participation.

"There is a real shrinking of democratic spaces in this country... Many organizations have lost their funding for raising inconvenient questions," he added.

"You expect more from Canadians... I think there is a growing gap between the values and the track record of Canada historically and the actions of the current government, which is deeply concerning."

Shetty also pressed Ottawa to seek the repatriation of Canadian Omar Khadr, the last Westerner to be held at the US naval base in Guantamo Bay, Cuba.

Khadr was 15 when he was arrested for lobbing a hand grenade that killed a US sergeant during a 2002 attack in Afghanistan. His trial by a US military commission began this month.

"He was a child when he was arrested, 15 years old, (and) sent to Guantanamo Bay," he said, calling Khadr`s detention "unlawful" and his trial "unjust."

Shetty, 49, was named secretary general of the rights organization Amnesty International in June.

BDST: 1012 HRS, August 24, 2010