The European Parliament has selected Malala Yousafzai and Edward Snowden as finalists for the Sakharov prize, one of Europe’s top human rights awards, the AP reports.
Malala, the 16-year old Pakistani schoolgirl who last year survived a gunshot to the head fired by a Taliban assassin, was nominated by three joint caucuses and is considered likely to win the award.
Snowden, the former NSA operative who leaked thousands of documents revealing information about U.S. government surveillance programs, was nominated by a smaller environmental group.
The Sakharov is considered one of Europe’s most prestigious awards, and the winner will take home 50,000 euros (around $65,000). Aung San Suu Kyi and Nelson Mandela, both former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, are former Sakharov winners.