Edward Snowden speaks via video link during a conference at University of Buenos Aires Law School, Argentina, November 14, 2016. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway’s supreme court has rejected a lawsuit from fugitive former U.S. spy contractor Edward Snowden against the Norwegian government, upholding the verdict of two lower courts, it said on Friday.

Snowden’s law firm said in April he would take the state to court to secure free passage to the Nordic country to receive a free speech award. Both the Oslo District Court and an appeals court have since dismissed the case.

The Norwegian justice ministry could not be compelled to issue an advance decision on whether or not to extradite Snowden to the United States if he were to come to Norway, the supreme court said.</s>Norway's supreme court has rejected a lawsuit from fugitive former U.S. spy contractor Edward Snowden against the Norwegian government, upholding the verdict of two lower courts, it said on Friday.

Snowden's law firm said in April he would take the state to court to secure free passage to the Nordic country to receive a free speech award. Both the Oslo District Court and an appeals court have since dismissed the case.

The Norwegian justice ministry could not be compelled to issue an advance decision on whether or not to extradite Snowden to the United States if he were to come to Norway, the supreme court said.</s>Oslo: Norway's supreme court on Saturday rejected a final appeal by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden to secure assurances he would not be extradicted to the US should he travel to Norway to collect an award.

Just as was the case in an original lawsuit and the subsequent appeal to a lower court in Oslo, the supreme court said it could not evaluate an extradition request preemptively.

Former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, Snowden, who lives in exile in Russia, faces charges of espionage and theft of state secrets in his homeland that could land him up to 30 years in jail.

It's a further blow for the 33-year-old US citizen and his supporters at the Norwegian branch of the PEN Club who hoped he would be able to pick up the Ossietzky prize, which celebrates "outstanding efforts for freedom of expression."

Norway was one of the countries where Snowden sought asylum after fleeing the United States in 2013, but Oslo's response was that asylum seekers had to be physically present in the country to apply.

Considered a whistleblower by some and a traitor by others, Snowden won a similar Norwegian award in 2015, but was likewise unable to collect it.

Snowden has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is also awarded in Norway, for the last three years, although without winning it.</s>Norway's Supreme Court has rejected Edward Snowden's attempt to win free passage to visit the country and receive an award for free speech.

Mr Snowden, who currently resides in Russia, copied and leaked thousands of classified NSA documents in 2013, revealing the scale of US government surveillance after the 9/11 attacks.

In April, the 33-year-old took Norway to court in an attempt secure free passage, through Oslo's District Court, an appeals court and finally the country's Supreme Court.

But the court ruled that Norway's Justice Ministry could not be forced to make a decision in advance regarding whether or not they would extradite Snowden to the US.

Mr Snowden is wanted by his home country to face trial on charges brought under the 1917 Espionage Act.

President Barack Obama has stated he will not give the former CIA employee and NSA contractor a presidential pardon unless he appears in court.

Mr Obama told the German newspaper Der Spiegel: "I can’t pardon somebody who hasn’t gone before a court and presented themselves.

"So that’s not something that I would comment on at this point.

"I think that Mr Snowden raised some legitimate concerns. How he did it was something that did not follow the procedures and practices of our intelligence community."

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to step up efforts to arrest the whistleblower - something Mr Snowden has said he is not worrying about.

Mr Snowden said: “I don't care. The reality here is that yes, Donald Trump has appointed a new director of the Central Intelligence Agency who uses me as a specific example to say that, look, dissidents should be put to death.

"But if I get hit by a bus, or a drone, or dropped off an airplane tomorrow, you know what?

"It doesn't actually matter that much to me, because I believe in the decisions that I've already made."</s>Norway have threatened to extradite Edward Snowden if he sets foot in the country in order to pick up the Ossietzky Prize awarded to him for freedom of expression.

Noway’s Supreme Court rejected Snowden’s request for guarantees that he will not be extradited to the US, meaning that the NSA whistleblower will not be able to pick up the prize in person.

An extradition suit filed by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden’s lawyers against the Norwegian government in April has already been rejected by Oslo District court and an appeals court.

Norwegian law firm Schjoedt petitioned the Oslo court on behalf of Snowden back in April to get it “legally established that Norway has no right to extradite Snowden to the US.”

The Supreme court on Friday could not be compelled to issue an advance decision on whether or not to extradite Snowden to the United States if he was to head to Norway, Reuters reported.

The American, who has been seeking refuge in Russia, wanted to travel to Norway to receive the Ossietzky Prize, from the local branch of writers’ group PEN International, for “outstanding efforts for freedom of expression.”

PEN was forced to postpone the award ceremony from November to next June after Norway rejected the original plea.

“We are very disappointed and really regret it,” PEN president William Nygaard said following the court’s decision, adding that Snowden is likely to receive the award in Russia.

PEN would continue to “do our utmost to highlight the role of whistleblowers,” Nygaard added, as quoted by DW.

Previously US authorities indicated an intention to file an extradition request should the former NSA contractor, who exposed extensive US mass surveillance, head to Norway. At home. Snowden is expected to face espionage charges, which could land him up to 30 years in jail.

Snowden, a former NSA contractor became famous in 2013 for leaking classified information. His leaks ultimately led to significant revelations about global mass surveillance programs employed by various governments, particularly the US. Snowden has been living in Russia, where he was granted in 2013.</s>Norway’s supreme court has rejected Edward Snowden’s request for a legal guarantee that would allow him to collect an award in the Scandinavian country without risk of being extradited to the US.

The supreme court upheld decisions by lower courts that also refused the request.

An Oslo law firm filed the lawsuit in April on behalf of the former National Security Agency contractor and the Norwegian chapter of the free speech and literary organisation Pen, which had invited him to receive its Ossietzky Prize.

Mr Snowden, who is in Russia, faces charges in the US that could land him in prison for up to 30 years for leaking details of a secret US eavesdropping programme to journalists.</s>Gov't parties delay bid to get Snowden to testify in Germany

BERLIN — The parties in Germany's governing coalition have delayed an attempt to invite former NSA contractor Edward Snowden to testify before a Parliamentary committee.

Opposition parties on the committee investigating NSA activity in Germany had sought to bring Snowden to Berlin after a court on Monday ordered the panel to invite him as a witness.

The government is expected to appeal the court's ruling in the coming days.

Allowing Snowden to travel to Germany from Moscow, where he has lived since 2013, raises the possibility that he might seek asylum in Germany.

Members of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Union bloc and the Social Democrats removed the invitation from the agenda of Thursday's meeting.

Konstantin von Notz, a Green party member of the committee, accused the government of "cynically playing for time."
The Supreme Court of Norway rejects NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden's extradition lawsuit against the Norwegian government.