Edward Snowden was awarded a prize by Norwegian PEN-center
Representatives of PEN center gave Edward Snowden an award in Moscow.
OSLO, 29 April. /Offset. TASS Yuri Mikhailenko/. Representatives of the Norwegian branch of PEN club personally handed Edward Snoden previously awarded him a prize for contribution to the protection of freedom of speech. A closed ceremony was held in a Moscow hotel on Friday 21 April, however, the Norwegian PEN-center was only reported on Saturday evening.
“April 21, Edward Snowden was awarded a prize named after Carl von Osickova for the year 2016. The Chairman of the Board and Secretary General of the Norwegian PEN-center William Nugor and Hage newt Nuri gave him a medal in Moscow”, — stated in the message of the organization.
In March last year, the Norwegian PEN-center announced Snowden laureate Karl von Osickova critic of the Nazi regime and antifascist, was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1936. In the organization tried to do everything possible to Snowden could personally receive the award, arriving in Oslo. Nevertheless, Norwegian authorities refused to give the former intelligence officer in the U.S. assurance that he would not be extradited to his homeland. Last year the Norwegian courts refused to consider Snowden filed a lawsuit against the Norwegian state to give him the opportunity to visit the Kingdom and to receive the award, without fear of extradition the United States.
The Ministry of justice and public security of Norway has refused to grant Snowden any guarantee in 2015 when he was awarded the prize named after the Norwegian writer and humanist bjørnstjerne bjørnson. At the ceremony awards in the Norwegian Molde chair Snowden remained empty, however, he gave an interview on video.
In 2013 the Norwegian foreign Ministry received from the U.S. Embassy a diplomatic note demanding to extradite the American, if he is in Norway. The power of the Scandinavian Kingdom tried to keep the contents of the document secret, but later was forced to pass it on to journalists.
Snowden is an analyst working for the national security Agency of the United States, which in 2013 made public information on how electronic surveillance of U.S. intelligence, including about the illegal wiretap of negotiations of foreign leaders. Escaping from persecution by the US authorities, Snowden has sent requests for asylum to the authorities in more than 20 countries, including Russia. 1 Aug 2014 he has got a residence permit in Russia for three years and then located on the territory of Russia. In the US, Snowden is charged with violating two articles of the espionage act, each of the charges he faces up to 10 years in prison.