STOCKHOLM, September 24. /ITAR-TASS/. U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden was among the winners on Wednesday of a Swedish human rights award for his groundbreaking revelations about government surveillance.

The former National Security Agency contractor, who has taken refuge in Russia, received 2014’s Right Livelihood Honorary Award “for his courage and skill in revealing the unprecedented extent of state surveillance violating basic democratic processes and constitutional rights”.

Snowden shared the award with Alan Rusbridger, editor of British newspaper The Guardian, which was the first to publish a series of articles on U.S. surveillance activities based on documents leaked by Snowden.

As part of the award, the Right Livelihood Awards Foundation will fund legal support for Snowden.