Snowden was awarded the Peace Prize of the Stuttgart – Arguments and Facts

Moscow, November 24 – AiF-Moscow.

Former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden became the winner of the Stuttgart Peace Prize, established by the civil initiative Die AnStifter, RIA Novosti reported.

 
 

The prize is awarded annually to people or projects that “special way serve peace, justice and solidarity.” Cash equivalent of prize is five thousand euros.

 
 

Sam winner to attend the delivery could not. However, Snowden has sent a video message to the organizers, in which he called to fight for human rights and freedoms.

 
 

«If we want to live in a free society, we must defend our rights,” – he said, adding that “the government and society must be based on trust».

 
 

Edward Snowden gained fame in the summer of 2013, when provided publications The Guardian and The Washington Post classified information about the NSA spying for the US communications of citizens of many countries around the world.

 
 
 
 

Last year, around the figure of Edward Snowden scandal arose at the international level – the ex-intelligence officer has distributed the information that the US intelligence agencies used the program of mass surveillance of citizens of the United States and Europe. After that, the US authorities accused him of divulging classified information and demanded his extradition. Snowden flew to Hong Kong, and from the end of July 2013 did not leave the transit area of ​​Moscow airport “Sheremetyevo”. In August, former special agent received temporary asylum in Russia for one year. More & gt; & gt;