QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's deputy foreign minister says his government will treat Belarus' extradition request for a former police investigator with the same respect for human rights that guided it in the case of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Marco Albuja told reporters Wednesday that if Ecuador finds Aliaksandr Barankov's life would be at risk at home, either from the death penalty or life in prison, it will apply the same criteria it did in granting asylum to Assange.
Barankov won political refugee status after arguing that he fears being killed in prison if sent home because he unearthed high-level corruption involving relatives of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Barankov was arrested and jailed in Ecuador shortly before Lukashenko visited in June.
A judge on Ecuador's highest court is expected to rule on the case soon.
