DHAKA: European lawmakers have nominated several candidates for the bloc`s top human rights prize, including Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai and US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

The European parliament said in a statement late on Monday they were among seven nominees for this year`s Sakharov prize. The finalist for the prestigious 50,000 euro ($65,000) award will be chosen next month.

The 16-year-old Malala, who survived a Taliban assassination attempt last year on her way to home from school, was jointly nominated by three caucuses, making her the likely front-runner.

Snowden, who leaked a trove of documents on US surveillance agencies` spying programmes, was nominated by the Greens, a smaller pro-environment group.

The prize is considered the Europe`s top rights award. Previous winners include Nobel Peace Prize laureates Aung San Suu Kyi and Nelson Mandela.

Source: TOI
BDST: 1108 HRS, SEP 17, 2013
RS/BSK