!Ministry!for!Foreign!Affairs!
!Sweden

EXCHANGE'OF'MINISTERIAL'NOTES'BETWEEN
THE'GOVERNMENT'OF'THE'KINGDOM'OF'SWEDEN
AND'THE'GOVERNMENT'OF'THE'REPUBLIC'OF'ECUADOR
ON'MUTUAL'LEGAL'ASSISTANCE'IN'CRIMINAL'MATTERS

Ministerial'Note'dated'17'of'December'2015'from'the'Minister'for'Foreign'
Affairs'of'Sweden'to'the'Minister'of'Foreign'Affairs'and'Human'Mobility'of'
the'Republic'of'Ecuador.
Your'Excellency,
I'have'the'honour'to'propose,'on'behalf'of'the'Government'of'Sweden'an'
Agreement'between'the'Government'of'Sweden'and'the'Government'of'
Ecuador'on'mutual'legal'assistance'in'criminal'matters'with'the'aim'of'
extending'to'each'other'the'widest'measures'of'co#operation'to'combat'
crime'on'the'following'terms:
“The'Contracting'States'shall,'in'accordance'with'the'Constitutions'and'
national'law'and'respecting'the'general'principles'recognized'by'
international'law,'in'particular'the'human'rights'principles'enshrined'in'
international'treaties,'provide'each'other'mutual'legal'assistance'in'the'
investigation'and'prosecution'of'criminal'offences'and'in'proceedings'
related'to'criminal'matters.
Assistance'shall'include:
(a)
Identifying'and'locating'persons;
(b)
Taking'the'testimony'or'statements'of'persons;

His'Excellency
Mr.'Ricardo'Patiño'Aroca
Minister'of'Foreign'Affairs'and'Human'Mobility
REPUBLIC'OF'ECUADOR

Postal'address
SE#103'39'Stockholm
SWEDEN

Telephone
+46'8'405'10'00

Visitors''address
Malmtorgsgatan'3

Fax
+46'8'723'11'76

E0mail
foreign.registrator@gov.se

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(c)
Service'of'documents;
(d)
Executing'requests'for'search'and'seizure;
(e)
Making'persons'in'custody'or'otherwise'available'to'give'evidence'
or'to'assist'investigations;
(f)
Providing'information,'documents,'objects'and'records,'and'transfer'
of'exhibits;
(g)
Taking'of'DNA#samples;
(h)
Tracing,'restraining,'forfeiting'and'confiscating'the'proceeds'of'
crime'and'instrumentalities'of'criminal'activities;
(i)
Restitution'of'property'in'criminal'matters;'and,
(j)
Other'assistance'consistent'with'the'objects'of'this'Agreement'that'
is'not'inconsistent'with'the'law'of'the'Requested'State.
Assistance'may'be'refused'if:
(a)
The'request'relates'to'an'offence'that'is'regarded'by'the'Requested'
State'as'an'offence'of'political'character;
(b)
The'request'relates'to'an'offence'under'military'law'which'is'not'
also'an'offence'under'the'ordinary'criminal'law'of'the'Requested'State;
(c)
There'are'substantial'grounds'for'believing'that'the'request'for'
assistance'has'been'made'for'the'purpose'of'prosecuting'a'person'on'
account'of'that'person's'race,'sex,'religion,'nationality,'ethnic'origin'or'
political'opinions'or'that'that'person's'position'may'be'prejudiced'for'any'of'
those'reasons;
(d)
The'request'relates'to'the'prosecution'of'a'person'for'an'offence'in'
respect'of'which'the'person'has'been'convicted,'acquitted'or'pardoned'in'
the'Requested'State'or'a'decision'on'waiver'of'prosecution'concerning'the'
act'has'been'issued'or'for'which'the'person'could'no'longer'be'prosecuted'
by'reason'of'lapse'of'the'time'if'the'offence'had'been'committed'within'the'
jurisdiction'of'the'Requested'State;
(e)
The'acts'or'omissions'alleged'to'constitute'the'offence'would'not,'if'
they'had'taken'place'within'the'jurisdiction'of'the'Requested'State,'have'
constituted'an'offence;'or
(f)
The'execution'of'the'request'would'impair'the'sovereignty,'security,'
national'interest'or'other'essential'interest'of'the'Requested'State.
Before'refusing'to'grant'a'request'for'assistance,'the'Requested'State'
shall'consider'whether'assistance'may'be'granted'subject'to'such'
conditions'as'it'deems'necessary.

 3(4)

Requests'for'assistance'and'any'supporting'documents'shall'be'translated'
into'the'official'language'of'the'Requested'State'or'into'English'if'agreed'
upon'in'the'particular'case.
In'accordance'with'the'national'laws,'the'Central'Authorities'of'the'
Contracting'States'shall'transmit'and'receive'all'requests'and'responses'
thereto'for'the'purpose'of'this'Agreement.
The'Central'Authority'of'the'Kingdom'of'Sweden'is'the'Ministry'of'Justice.'
The'Central'Authority'of'the'Republic'of'Ecuador'is'The'General'
Prosecutor's'Office.'Either'State'may'change'its'Central'Authority'in'which'
case'it'shall'notify'the'other'of'the'change'in'writing.
Requests'for'mutual'legal'assistance'shall'be'made'directly'between'the'
Central'Authorities.
The'provisions'of'the'present'agreement'shall'be'interpreted'so'as'to'
contribute'in'the'best'possible'way'to'the'effective'exercise'of'human'rights'
and'fundamental'freedoms,'taking'account'in'the'first'place'of'the'dignity'
and'worth'of'the'human'person.
The'provisions'of'this'agreement'shall'be'interpreted'in'accordance'with'
mandatory'norms'of'international'law'(jus'cogens).
Either'Contracting'State'may'terminate'this'Agreement.'The'termination'
shall'take'effect'one'year'from'the'date'on'which'it'was'notified'to'the'other'
state.”
If'the'arrangements'set'out'above'are'acceptable'to'the'Government'of'
Ecuador,'I'have'the'honour'to'suggest'that'this'Note'and'Your'Excellency’s'
reply'to'that'effect'shall'constitute'an'Agreement'between'our'two'
Governments'and'that'this'Agreement'shall'take'effect'on'the'date'of'your'
reply.
I'avail'myself'of'this'opportunity'to'renew'to'you,'Your'Excellency,'the'
assurances'of'my'highest'consideration.

Margot'Wallström
Minister'for'Foreign'Affairs

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