Edward Snowden gets 2014 Right Livelihood Award

Edward Snowden (USA) and Alan Rusbridger (UK) receive the joint 2014 Right Livelihood Award – Alternative Nobel Prize.

The 2014 Right Livelihood Honorary Award, also known as altnernative Nobel Prize, goes to Edward Snowden for his courage and skill in revealing the unprecedented extent of state surveillance violating basic democratic processes and constitutional rights.

Snowden shares the award with Alan Rusbridger for building a global media organisation dedicated to responsible journalism in the public interest, undaunted by the challenges of exposing corpor ate and government malpractices.

Ole von Uexkull, Executive Director of the Right Livelihood Award Foundation said: “This year’s Right Livelihood Laureates are stemming the tide of the most dangerous global trends. With this year’s Awards, we want to send a message of urgent warning that these trends – illegal mass surveillance of ordinary citizens, the violation of human and civil rights, violent manifestations of religious fundamentalism, and the decline of the planet’s life – supporting systems – are very much upon us already.

If they are allowed to continue, and reinforce each other, they have the po wer to undermine the basis of civilised societies. But the Laureates also demonstrate that the choice is entirely in our hands: by courageous acts of civil disobedience in the public interest, through principled and undeterred journalism, by upholding th e rule of law and documenting each violation of it, and by building social movements to resist the destruction of our natural environment, we can turn the tide and build our common future on the principles of freedom, justice, and respect for the Earth.”

The Awards will be presented at a ceremony in the Swedish Parliament on December 1, 2014 at 4 pm, hosted by the Society for the Right Livelihood Award in the Swedish Parliament. I assume Snowden will not be there to receive the award in person.

Via Right Livelihood.