National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter to the prize committee, Swedish sociology professor Stefan Svallfors cites Snowden’s “heroic effort at great personal cost,” saying he has “helped to make the world a little bit better and safer.”

Svallfors also suggests giving the award to Snowden might make up for the “disrepute” incurred by the committee’s “ill-conceived” decision to give President Obama the award in 2009.