I distinguish between consciousness and self-consciousness, but as to your question, I don't think it matters at all in what form self consciousness takes place, and the moral thing to do when something appears to be self-conscious is to treat it with the same kindness you would expect for yourself (unless it is obvious that this something is a clear and present danger). I can totally see how from a moral perspective a human should be put on trial and imprisoned for killing a sentient "machine" - though unfortunately, looking at how as a society we treat animals and many times look the other way at mass cruelty to our own kind, I'm not really sure I'd mind a super-intelligence (and perhaps as a result also benevolent) ruling us instead of the other way around.

Of course, there's the possibility that a super-intelligence would not be able to break through the human egocentric limitations that may have been built into it by its human creators, and in that case, we're screwed...