OSLO: Edward Snowden, a fugitive former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 on Wednesday by two Norwegian lawmakers for making contribution to the transparency and global stability by revealing the depth and sophistication of the global surveillance apparatus.
In a statement on Wednesday, Baard Vegar Solhjell and Snorre Valen, both parliamentary representatives of the Socialist Left Party, said that “peace is more than simply the absence of war,” adding that Snowden had contributed to global security by revealing “the nature and technological prowess of modern surveillance.”
“The level of sophistication and depth of surveillance that citizens all over the world are subject to, has stunned us, and stirred debate all over the world. By doing this, he has contributed critical knowledge about how modern surveillance and intelligence directed towards states and citizens is carried out,” they said.
Both Valen and Solhjell said that Snowden’s leaks may have damaged the security interests of several nations in the short-term, noting that they do not necessarily support or condone all of the former NSA contractor’s disclosures.
“We are, however, convinced that the public debate and changes in policy that have followed in the wake of Snowden’s whistle-blowing has contributed to a more peaceful, stable and peaceful world order.”
Snowden, who has been living in temporary asylum in Russia after disclosing US government secrets on surveillance programmes and other activities, faces criminal charges in the United States after fleeing last year first to Hong Kong and then Russia.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee will collect nominations for the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize until Saturday, and the list will be finalised when the committee holds its first meeting of the year in March. The winner will be announced on the second Friday of October.
