The Norwegian branch of the PEN Club had hoped to honor whistleblower Edward Snowden in Oslo, but a Norwegian court has dismissed a bid for assurances he would not be extradited should he visit Norway to collect the Carl von Ossietzky award which was granted to him in 2014 [see: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/edward-snowden-gets-another-human-rights-award-in-berlin/].
The Ossietzky Medal is named after German journalist and pacifist Carl von Ossietzky, who won the 1936 Nobel Peace Prize for disclosing Germany’s rearmament in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. He was jailed by Nazi Germany for treason and unable to attend the award ceremony in Oslo 80 years ago.
Snowden won another Norwegian freedom of speech award – the Bjornson Prize – last year. He addressed that award ceremony via video link. He also was one of the recipients of the 2014 Right Livelihood awards and a number of other honors.
In October last year, the European Parliament passed a resolution (not legally binding) calling on EU governments to protect Snowden from prosecution and extradition. Amnesty International, the ACLU and Human Rights Watch have launched a campaign demanding a presidential pardon for Edward Snowden. It coincides with the upcoming release of a biopic directed by Oliver Stone (“Snowden“). See also: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/american-civil-liberties-union-sees-snowden-as-a-human-rights-defender/
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
December 28, 2017 at 19:11
[…] see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/09/29/edward-snowden-can-still-not-collect-his-awards/ […]
March 17, 2018 at 19:06
[…] of Human Rights“? I have asked myself this question many times also in this blog [see e.g. https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/09/29/edward-snowden-can-still-not-collect-his-awards/. On 16 March 2018. Luke Park writes for the Good Men Project a convincing piece that they […]