Edward Snowden receives The Bjørnson prize for his revelations about massive surveillance of telecommunications and data traffic by The U.S.A. Bjørnson Academy hopes to hand the award to Edward Snowden during the Bjørnson Seminar in Molde on 5th of September.
The jury believes there has been little attention on the issue in Norway for last two years since Snowden have made disclosure.
In a letter to Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) and Justice and Emergency Minister Anders Anundsen (FRP) the academy asks Norway to give him the protection he needs to come to Norway to accept the award, without risking being extradited to the United States.
Bjørnson Academy has been also in contact with several lawyers to consider whether Snowden may come to Norway without being extradited to the United States.
– This is an issue that must be treated like any other individual cases, and it’s immigrant directorate’s technical authority, Anundsen said to Vårtland.
Snowden received political asylum in Russia after he uncovered massive surveillance by the USA of international telecommunications and data traffic.
The US has charged him with espionage and requires him to be extradited immediately.