Edward Snowden for Nobel peace prize

They give the Nobel peace prize to warmongers like Obama these days, not heroes like Edward Snowden

‘Heroic effort at great personal cost’: Edward Snowden nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

A Swedish sociology professor has nominated Edward Snowden for the Nobel Peace Prize. He says the NSA whistleblower could help “save the prize from the disrepute incurred by the hasty and ill-conceived decision” to give the 2009 award to Barack Obama.

RT,

15 July, 2013

In his letter addressed to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Stefan Svallfors praised Snowden for his“heroic effort at great personal cost.” He stated that by revealing the existence and the scale of the US surveillance programs, Snowden showed “individuals can stand up for fundamental rights and freedoms.” 

Stefan Svallfors @StefanSvallfors

Mejlar till Norska Nobelkommittén. pic.twitter.com/RCYqxHvOyO

11:00 после полудня - 13 июля 2013

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“This example is important because since the Nuremberg trials in 1945 has been clear that the slogan ‘I was just following orders’ is never claimed as an excuse for acts contrary to human rights and freedoms,” Professor Svallfors wrote.

He emphasized that the decision to award the 2013 prize to Edward Snowden would also “help to save the Nobel Peace Prize from the disrepute incurred by the hasty and ill-conceived decision to award US President Barack Obama 2009 award.” 

But Kristian Berg Harpviken, senior researcher and deputy director at the International Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), told Interfax news agency that it is very unlikely that Snowden will become a Nobel Prize laureate.

Harpviken said that all major deadlines have passed, meaning that Snowden will have very little chance of making the shortlist.

When asked whether Snowden deserves the award, Harpviken replied with a “careful yes.” 

Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Thorbjoern Jagland (L) applauses as laureate, US President Barack Obama hands the diploma and medal to Nobel Peace Prize, during the Nobel Peace prize award ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo on December 10, 2009 (AFP Photo)

The head of the International Committee of the Russian State Duma Aleksey Pushkov has also argued that the US won’t let Nobel Peace Prize go to Snowden.

"Not in a million years will the United States allow Snowden to get the Peace Prize. But his nomination is significant. Many in the West see him as a champion of democracy," he tweeted on Monday. 

As a sociology professor at Umeå University, which has recently top-ranked among the world’s best young universities, Svallfors is included in the limited circuit of people who can deliver nominations to the Nobel committee. These include members of international courts and national assemblies; university rectors; professors of social sciences, history, philosophy, law and theology; directors of peace research institutes and foreign policy institutes.

Nominations for laureates should be postmarked for consideration in the following December's prizes no later than February 1 for the advisers to review the short list of the suggested candidates.

Since 1901, when the Nobel Peace Prize was launched, it has been awarded to a hundred individuals who “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” 

Last year Bradley Manning, the US soldier accused of passing secret materials to WikiLeaks, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The nomination was proposed by the Movement of Icelandic Parliament, which asserted that revelations produced by the documents Manning allegedly exposed“have helped to fuel a worldwide discussion about America’s overseas engagements, civilian war casualties, imperialistic manipulations, and rules of engagement.”

In 2011 founder of the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks Julian Assange was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by Norwegian MP Snorre Valen.

Snowden’s nomination is expected to be reviewed by the committee for next year's prize. Should Snowden get the coveted award, he would be the youngest Nobel Peace Laureate in the history of the prize.

The 30-year-old nominee is wanted in the US on charges of espionage after revealing secret NSA surveillance programs and could face the death penalty in his home country. He fled American soil for Hong Kong in May and then flew to Moscow, where he has been stuck in an airport transit zone for three weeks.

On Friday Snowden said he is seeking political asylum in Russia because he cannot fly to Latin America.

A journalist looks at a display with a picture of former CIA employee Edward Snowden (RIA Novosti)

During his meeting with rights activists and lawyers at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, Snowden explained what was behind his decision to leak the secret NSA spying programs. He said he did what he believed to be right and “began a campaign to correct this wrongdoing.” Snowden underlined that he did not seek to enrich himself, or to sell American secrets.

“I took what I knew to the public, so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light of day, and I asked the world for justice,” Snowden said, adding that he does not regret his decision.

Russian migration officials said that they have not yet received an asylum plea from the NSA leaker.

America has launched a persecution campaign in response, “threatening with sanctions” countries who stand up for Snowden’s rights.

So far, three countries in Latin America – Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua – said they could offer Asylum to the American whistleblower.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier stated that Moscow would grant him asylum if Snowden stopped activities aimed at harming “our American partners.” 

Putin: Snowden will leave Russia at earliest opportunity

NSA-leaker Edward Snowden will leave Russia as soon as he gets such opportunity, but for now the situation is unclear, says Russian President Vladimir Putin.

RT,

15 July, 2013

"He is familiar with the conditions of granting political asylum, and judging by the latest statements, is shifting his position. The situation is not clear now," Putin said. 

The president stressed that the US basically trapped ex-CIA employee Snowden in Russia while he was in transit to other countries.



"He arrived on our territory without an invitation, he was not flying to us - he was flying in transit to other countries. But as soon as he got in the air it became known, and our American partners, in fact, blocked his further flight," Putin said, meaning that the US government revoked Snowden’s passport shortly after he arrived at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport. 

"They scared other countries. No one wants to accept him,” he added. 

When asked about what was next for Snowden, Putin replied: “How should I know? That’s his life, his fate.” 

Putin also recalled that Snowden was initially offered an opportunity to apply for asylum in Russia, but only if he stops his “political activity.” 

“There are certain relations between Russia and United States, we would not like you to harm them with your activity,” Putin quoted Russian officials during their dialogue with Snowden. “He said no...he said, ‘I want to continue my activity, fighting for human rights. I think the US is violating certain international regulations and intervening in private lives and my goal to fight this.'" 

Putin added that Russia has no desire assist Snowden as long as he refuses to cease such activity. 

Although Snowden said last Friday that he might apply for political asylum in Russia, no application has yet been received by the Russian government. 



“There has been no application from Edward Snowden today,” Konstantin Romadanovsky, director of Russia’s Federal Migration Service, told Interfax. “If an application is received, it will be examined under the established legal procedures.” 

The US responded with accusations against Russia, claiming it was granting Snowden – who is wanted on espionage charges - a “propaganda platform.”

Meanwhille, a Swedish sociology professor has praised Snowden for his “heroic effort at great price.

An interesting little detail

Who cares about legitimacy these days?

The EU is not a “Person”: Granting the Nobel Prize to the European Union is in Violation of Alfred Nobel’s Will

Michel Chossudovsky

GlobalResearch,

13 October, 2012

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was granted to the European Union (EU) for its relentless contribution to “the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.”

While the EU’s contribution to peace is debatable, the key issue is whether a union of nation states, which constitutes a political, economic, monetary and fiscal entity is an “eligible candidate” for the Peace Prize, in accordance with the mandate of the Norwegian Committee.

The Olympic Games are “granted” to countries. But the Nobel Peace Prize cannot under any stretch of the imagination be granted to a nation-state, let alone a union of nation states.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has a responsibility to ascertain “the eligibility of candidates” in accordance with the Will of Alfred Bernhard Nobel (Paris, 27 November, 1895).

“The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind….

The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. …

[F]or champions of peace [the prize will be awarded] by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not.

Will of Alfred Bernhard Nobel, November 27, 1895, emphasis added

The conditions set out in Alfred Nobel’s Will have been twisted upside down.

Nobel’s Will is crystal clear.   The five prizes are to be granted to “persons”. (See complete list of laureates)

Since its inception, however, several of the prizes have been granted to both “persons” and organizations/institutions to which they are affiliated as in the case of Henry Dunand (Red Cross) or Mohamed ElBaradei, UN International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEA). In other cases, the prize was granted to “organizations” consisting of a collective of persons (e.g. UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

The granting of the Nobel Prize to the European Union, which is a political entity, a union of nation states, is visibly in blatant violation of Alfred Nobel’s Will.

Under the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union acquired the status of a  “legal person”. While, the validity of this designation for a union of member states under the Lisbon Treaty is tenuous,  a “legal person” (particualrly in the case of the EU) is not a “person” as expressed in Alfred Nobel’s Will.  

Theater of the Absurd

The European Union cannot under any stretch of the imagination be categorized as a “person”, “a group of persons” or even an “organization”. Moreover, implied in Nobel’s Will is that the candidates must be citizens without regard to nationality:

“It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given tothe nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not.(Alfred Nobel’s Will, Paris, 1895)

The European Union is a union of nation states composed of citizens.

The EU cannot be a citizen of itself, nor does the EU have a nationality.

Citizens of the EU are “eligible candidates” but the EU cannot be “an eligible candidate”.

Moreover, it stands to reason that “eligible candidates” for the Peace prize who are “persons” cannot reasonably be evaluated, compared or ranked by the Norwegian selection committee in relation to the European Union, which is a “non-person”, namely a union of countries.

This an important consideration: How does the candidacy of the EU “compare” to “other” distinguished 2012 nominees who are actual “persons”? “Oranges versus apples?

According to the procedure, a short list of nominees “is reviewed by permanent advisers and advisers specially recruited for their knowledge of specific candidates.” And based on this review, the Peace Laureate is chosen, through a majority vote of the five persons Norwegian Committee.

The prize consists of “a medal, a personal diploma, and a cash award.” Theater of the absurd: A “personal diploma” to the European Union and “a cash award”, for what, to whom? To finance the EU’s budget deficit, its bank bailout schemes?

The decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee is diabolical and illegal, in blatant violation of its mandate.

The decision of the Nobel Norwegian should bethe object of judicial procedure.

Full text of Alfred Nobel’s Will

I, the undersigned, Alfred Bernhard Nobel, do hereby, after mature deliberation, declare the following to be my last Will and Testament with respect to such property as may be left by me at the time of my death:

To my nephews, Hjalmar and Ludvig Nobel, the sons of my brother Robert Nobel, I bequeath the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Crowns each;

To my nephew Emanuel Nobel, the sum of Three Hundred Thousand, and to my niece Mina Nobel, One Hundred Thousand Crowns;

To my brother Robert Nobel’s daughters, Ingeborg and Tyra, the sum of One Hundred Thousand Crowns each;

Miss Olga Boettger, at present staying with Mrs Brand, 10 Rue St Florentin, Paris, will receive One Hundred Thousand Francs;

Mrs Sofie Kapy von Kapivar, whose address is known to the Anglo-Oesterreichische Bank in Vienna, is hereby entitled to an annuity of 6000 Florins Ö.W. which is paid to her by the said Bank, and to this end I have deposited in this Bank the amount of 150,000 Fl. in Hungarian State Bonds;

Mr Alarik Liedbeck, presently living at 26 Sturegatan, Stockholm, will receive One Hundred Thousand Crowns;

Miss Elise Antun, presently living at 32 Rue de Lubeck, Paris, is entitled to an annuity of Two Thousand Five Hundred Francs. In addition, Forty Eight Thousand Francs owned by her are at present in my custody, and shall be refunded;

Mr Alfred Hammond, Waterford, Texas, U.S.A. will receive Ten Thousand Dollars;

The Misses Emy and Marie Winkelmann, Potsdamerstrasse, 51, Berlin, will receive Fifty Thousand Marks each;

Mrs Gaucher, 2 bis Boulevard du Viaduc, Nimes, France will receive One Hundred Thousand Francs;

My servants, Auguste Oswald and his wife Alphonse Tournand, employed in my laboratory at San Remo, will each receive an annuity of One Thousand Francs;

My former servant, Joseph Girardot, 5, Place St. Laurent, Châlons sur Saône, is entitled to an annuity of Five Hundred Francs, and my former gardener, Jean Lecof, at present with Mrs Desoutter, receveur Curaliste, Mesnil, Aubry pour Ecouen, S.& O., France, will receive an annuity of Three Hundred Francs;

Mr Georges Fehrenbach, 2, Rue Compiègne, Paris, is entitled to an annual pension of Five Thousand Francs from January 1, 1896 to January 1, 1899, when the said pension shall discontinue;

A sum of Twenty Thousand Crowns each, which has been placed in my custody, is the property of my brother’s children, Hjalmar, Ludvig, Ingeborg and Tyra, and shall be repaid to them.

 

The whole of my remaining realizable estate shall be dealt with in the following way: the capital, invested in safe securities by my executors, shall constitute a fund, the interest on which shall be annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to mankind. The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of physics; one part to the person who shall have made the most important chemical discovery or improvement; one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine; one part to the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction; and one part to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. The prizes for physics and chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Sciences; that for physiological or medical work by the Caroline Institute in Stockholm; that for literature by the Academy in Stockholm, and that for champions of peace by a committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storting. It is my express wish that in awarding the prizes no consideration whatever shall be given to the nationality of the candidates, but that the most worthy shall receive the prize, whether he be a Scandinavian or not.

As Executors of my testamentary dispositions, I hereby appoint Mr Ragnar Sohlman, resident at Bofors, Värmland, and Mr Rudolf Lilljequist, 31 Malmskillnadsgatan, Stockholm, and at Bengtsfors near Uddevalla. To compensate for their pains and attention, I grant to Mr Ragnar Sohlman, who will presumably have to devote most time to this matter, One Hundred Thousand Crowns, and to Mr Rudolf Lilljequist, Fifty Thousand Crowns;

At the present time, my property consists in part of real estate in Paris and San Remo, and in part of securities deposited as follows: with The Union Bank of Scotland Ltd in Glasgow and London, Le Crédit Lyonnais, Comptoir National d’Escompte, and with Alphen Messin & Co. in Paris; with the stockbroker M.V. Peter of Banque Transatlantique, also in Paris; with Direction der Disconto Gesellschaft and Joseph Goldschmidt & Cie, Berlin; with the Russian Central Bank, and with Mr Emanuel Nobel in Petersburg; with Skandinaviska Kredit Aktiebolaget in Gothenburg and Stockholm, and in my strong-box at 59, Avenue Malakoff, Paris; further to this are accounts receivable, patents, patent fees or so-called royalties etc. in connection with which my Executors will find full information in my papers and books.

This Will and Testament is up to now the only one valid, and revokes all my previous testamentary dispositions, should any such exist after my death.

Finally, it is my express wish that following my death my veins shall be opened, and when this has been done and competent Doctors have confirmed clear signs of death, my remains shall be cremated in a so-called crematorium.

Paris, 27 November, 1895

Alfred Bernhard Nobel

---

That Mr Alfred Bernhard Nobel, being of sound mind, has of his own free will declared the above to be his last Will and Testament, and that he has signed the same, we have, in his presence and the presence of each other, hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses:

Sigurd Ehrenborg
former Lieutenant
Paris: 84 Boulevard Haussmann

R. W. Strehlenert
Civil Engineer
4, Passage Caroline

Thos Nordenfelt
Constructor
8, Rue Auber, Paris

Leonard Hwass
Civil Engineer
4, Passage Caroline