(Newswire.net — October 1, 2014) — The Right Livelihood Award goes to organizations or individuals for “outstanding visions and work on behalf of our planet and its people”.
For the last 18 years, the winners were announced in the pressroom of the Foreign Department in Stockholm. But when the Swedish foreign minister, Carl Bildt, received the information late last week that one of the five recipients this year is the American whistle blower Edward Snowden, he refused to allow the prize to be announced in the foreign departments building.
However, Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt told in an interview with Swedish Television he denies that he personally took the decision of stopping the announcement in the pressroom.
“The ministry cited security concerns but added that he believed the decision was linked to the fact that Snowden was among the laureates,” Foundation director Ole von Uexkull told the Associated Press (AP) “All winners have been invited to the Dec. 1 award ceremony in Stockholm.” he said, though he added it’s unclear whether Snowden can attend.
“We will start discussions with the Swedish government and his lawyers in due course to discuss the potential arrangements for his participation.” said von Uexkull.
In May this year Carl Bildt was criticized since the Foreign Department refused to invite Edward Snowden to an international internet forum in Stockholm, yet a Spokesmen from the foreign department insisted it hadn’t to do with any political positions.
Edward Snowden was nominated by a Swedish sociology professor Stefan Svallfors for the Nobel Peace Prize. He says the NSA whistleblower could help “save the prize from the disrepute incurred by the hasty and ill-conceived decision”.
In his letter to the Nobel Peace Prize, he said that “Edward Snowden has – in a heroic effort at great personal cost – revealed the existence and extent of the surveillance, the US government devotes electronic communications worldwide. By putting light on this monitoring program – conducted in contravention of national laws and international agreements – Edward Snowden has helped to make the world a little bit better and safer”.
“It would show its willingness to stand up in defense of civil liberties and human rights, even when such a defense be viewed with disfavor by the world’s dominant military power.” wrote professor Svallfor in the message to the Nobel Prize committee.