Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno on Monday said he considers WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to be a “hacker,” but would still grant him asylum to stay in the South American country’s London embassy.

“Mr. Assange is a hacker. That’s something we reject, and I personally reject,” Moreno told reporters. “But I respect the situation he is in, which calls for respect of his human rights, but we also ask that he respects the situation he is in.”