Edward Snowden loses Norway safe passage case

Edward Snowden's bid to guarantee that he would not be extradited to the US if he visited Norway has been rejected by the Norwegian supreme court.

The former National Security Agency contractor filed the lawsuit in April, attempting to secure safe passage to Norway to pick up a free speech award.

It had already been rejected by Oslo District court and an appeals court.

Mr Snowden is a former NSA analyst who leaked secret US surveillance details three years ago.

As a result, he is facing charges in the US which could put him in prison for up to 30 years.

Mr Snowden's lawyers have previously said if he were extradited to the US, it would be "a foregone conclusion" that he would be convicted and jailed.

Mr Snowden has been living in Russia, out of reach of the US authorities, since the leaks in 2013.

He had hoped to travel to Oslo to receive the Ossietzky Prize, for "outstanding efforts for freedom of expression".

The award was due to be presented earlier this month.

But the Norwegian Supreme Court said it could not rule on the legality of any move to extradite Mr Snowden as the US had so far made no such request.