By Matt Blake Fear: Aliaksandr Barankov fled to Ecuador after unearthing petroleum-smuggling ring involving senior officials of President Alexander Lukashenko's government, including relatives of the leader A Belarusian dissident granted asylum in Ecuador has begged his South American safe haven not to send him home, claiming he will surely be killed for exposing government corruption. Aliaksandr Barankov fled to Ecuador after unearthing petroleum-smuggling ring involving senior officials of President Alexander Lukashenko's government, including relatives of the leader. But the former financial crimes investigator says he is in imminent danger of losing his political refugee status and being sent back to the former Soviet bloc nation whose president has been nicknamed 'Europe's last dictator.'
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Aliaksandr Barankov fled to Ecuador after unearthing petroleum-smuggling ring involving senior politicians
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Some of the accused are at the top of President Alexander Lukashenko's government
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His plea comes less than a week after Ecuador granted political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
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But the former financial crimes investigator says Ecuador welcomed Lukashenko's recent visit sparking fears they have struck a deal
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