Former security contractor Edward Snowden has been conferred with Norways’ The Bjornson Prize for freedom of expression. He has also received an invitation to leave his exile and receive the award in person. The Bjornson Prize is named after a Norwegian Nobel literature laureate. Snowden, a former analyst at the US National Security Agency, has lived in exile in Russia since 2013 after revealing mass spying programmes by the United States and its allies.

The academy has requested assurances from the Norwegian government that Snowden would not be extradited to the US if he travelled to Norway to receive the 100,000 kroner ($12,700, 11,500 euros) prize money in person.

Tidbits

• Snowden was awarded Sweden’s Right Livelihood Award in 2014. He chose to accept it by video link rather than leaving his exile in Russia.
• Snowden was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for two times in a row. The Nobel will be awarded in Oslo on October 9.