Snowden Shortlisted for EU’s Saharov Prize

Former NSA employee Edward Snowden has made the shortlist for the Sakharov prize, Europe's top human rights award.

Snownden was the focus of international attention over the summer after he leaked classified evidence of US government surveillance programs to the media. He fled to Hong Kong and then to Moscow, where he was granted temporary asylum in Russia in late July despite repeated extradition demands from Washington.

The shortlist also includes three jailed Belarusian dissidents and Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai.

European lawmakers cast their votes for nominees in the shortlist in a secret ballot on Monday.

The winner of this year's prize will be announced on 10 October.

Former recipients of the prize include Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.