You're reading: Nobel Foundation rejects peace prize criticism

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The Nobel Foundation has rejected accusations that the peace prize jury doesn't follow the guidelines set down in the will of award founder Alfred Nobel.

In a letter to the Stockholm county government Thursday, the foundation said that despite "lively discussions" about the merits of previous winners it doesn’t believe the Norwegian Nobel Committee has deviated from Nobel’s will.

The county government, which supervises foundations based in Stockholm, is investigating claims by a Norwegian researcher that the committee has violated the will by honoring environmentalists, human rights activists and others not directly involved with peace work.

The Nobel Foundation manages the prize assets but it’s the committee that selects the peace prize winners.