Ecuador's top court has rejected an extradition request for a former Belarusian investigative police officer, the Belarusian news portal Platforma reported on Wednesday.
Alexander Barankov, 30, wanted by Minsk on fraud charges, fled to Ecuador in 2009, saying the charges were trumped up after he uncovered widespread corruption linked to senior government officials and people close to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Ecuador’s National Court of Justice said Barankov could not be extradited due to his political refugee status.
Barankov said he could be killed if sent back to his former homeland.
Ecuador granted Barankov asylum in 2010 but he was arrested in June shortly before an official visit by Lukashenko who sought to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Barankov's case resurfaced when Ecuador granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whose extradition from Britain was demanded by Sweden. Ecuador was concerned that Assange could face the death penalty if further extradited to the United States.
