One can bet that there are a lot of people in Washington scoffing at this report right now. Edward Snowden is now known around the world as the former CIA technical analyst who escaped to Hong Kong prior to leaking a barrage of top secret documents implicating the U.S. National Security Agency in widespread electronic spying programs. The leaks continue to this day, only recently documents provided by Snowden revealed that the NSA has been siphoning off personal data through popular mobile applications in collaboration with UK’s GCHQ. Some might justify Snowden’s actions, even though the U.S. has felony charges waiting for him back home. Norwegian lawmakers certainly seem so, as Edward Snowden has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize once again.
Norwegian lawmakers are of the view that Snowden’s revelations about global surveillance have “contributed to a more stable and peaceful world order,” stemming from the widespread public debates and policy changes that followed after the revelations. U.S. President Barack Obama recently announced a list of NSA reforms, though major internet companies said that the government needs to do more. Snowden happens to be one of the 259 people that have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, he was nominated last year as well, though back then the prestigious prize was picked up by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.