{{short description|Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative}} {{Notability|Bio|date=November 2017}}
'''Peter Zalmayev''' ({{langx|uk|Пітер Залмаєв}}; born 1976) is a political commentator and director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative (EDI), an international non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of democracy and human rights in post-Communist transitional societies of Eastern and Central Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
{{Infobox person | name = Peter Zalmayev | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1976}} | birth_place = Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union }}
==Background== === Biography === Peter Zalmayev was born in Donetsk.
=== Education === Zalmayev received his master's in international affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs with a concentration in post-Soviet/Eurasian studies. From 2000 to 2006, Zalmayev managed the Central Asia/Caucasus Program at a major international human rights watchdog, the International League for Human Rights.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-zalmayev Huffington Post] Peter Zalmayev profile</ref> Zalmayev is a graduate of the International Peace Academy's (currently known as International Peace Institute)2003 Seminar "The Regionalization of Conflict and Intervention"<ref>{{cite web|title=The Regionalization of Conflict and Intervention, Executive Summary|url=http://208.43.245.180/asset/file/482/REGIONALIZATION_OF_CONFLICT.pdf}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He has provided regular commentary to major U.S. and international print<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-01-mn-10336-story.html LA Times] Activists Speak Out for Detained Uzbek Dissident 2001-12-01, retrieved 2012-12-10</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Bogus Human Rights Group Objects to Being Called Bogus Human Rights Group|url=http://harpers.org/blog/2007/09/bogus-human-rights-group-objects-to-being-called-bogus-human-rights-group/|publisher=Harper's Magazine|author=Ken Silverstein|date=September 20, 2007}}</ref> and broadcast<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC World News Today, interview with Jonathan Charles)| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW-nRzg23ws|date=April 9, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=CNN International, interview with Rosemary Church)| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NwRKtiBDrU|date=June 13, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BBC's The Hub, interview with Nik Gowing| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRF9xru-SSc|date=June 14, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russia Today, interview| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY2tAHBXG6Q|date=June 15, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Russia Today, interview| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lx9pEWI7YM|date=December 21, 2010}}</ref> media on political, social and economic developments in countries of the former Soviet Union. In 2011, Zalmayev joined the board of the American Jewish Committee, New York Region.<ref>{{cite web |title=AJC: Board Members; 2012-13 New York Region |url=http://www.ajcnyc.org/site/c.gqLUI4OAKlF/b.1169033/k.8528/Board_Members.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114033900/http://www.ajcnyc.org/site/c.gqLUI4OAKlF/b.1169033/k.8528/Board_Members.htm |archive-date=2012-11-14}}</ref>
Zalmayev is a contributor to The Odessa Review and one of the anchors of Priamyi TV Channel in Ukraine
==Kazakhstan, Central Asia and Other Post-Soviet States== On June 12, 2002, as a representative of the International League for Human Rights, Zalmayev testified about the situation in Kazakhstan to members of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan und EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees.<ref>{{cite web|title=League Testifies in European Parliament|url=http://ilhr.org/ilhr/events/euro_parliament.htm}}</ref> In October 2002, Zalmayev condemned the Kazakhstani government's persecution of Sergei Duvanov, an independent journalist,<ref>{{cite web|title=Kazakhstan: Rights Groups Cry Foul In Journalist Rape Case|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1101230.html|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|author=Antoine Blua|date=October 30, 2002}}</ref> and, following Duvanov's arrest on charges widely seen as trumped up, Zalmayev proposed to give Duvanov the League's annual human rights award at a ceremony held at the United Nations on December 9, 2002<ref>{{cite web|title=Defending Defenders: League Honors Five Human Rights Activists On Defenders' Day at U.N.|url=http://www.ilhr.org/ilhr/defenders/index.html|date=December 9, 2002}}</ref> (on the eve of the Human Rights Day). In 2008, Zalmayev protested against Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbaev's being nominated for the Nobel Prize.<ref>“[https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5334588&page=1 Nobel Prize for Alleged Human Rights Offender?]” ABC News, July 9, 2008.</ref> Zalmayev was quoted in reports on Kazakhstan elections in 2010.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/0410/Reports_Opposition_overthrows_Kyrgyz_government_president_flees.html Politico]“Reports: Opposition overthrows Kyrgyzstan government, president flees.” Politico, 2010.</ref> In 2010, Zalmayev, in an interview to Kyiv Post, criticized Ukraine's government for its attempts to muzzle independent media in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Detention of German foundation head seen as blow to free speech|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/detention-of-german-foundation-head-seen-as-blow-t-71727.html|publisher=Kyiv Post|accessdate=13 December 2012|date=July 2, 2010}}</ref>
According to The New York Times<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-02-12 |title=At the Time Warner Center, an Enclave of Powerful Russians (Published 2015) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/12/nyregion/russia-time-warner-center-andrey-vavilov.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1E8.xw5y.0cLjIqgNsczK&smid=url-share |access-date=2025-11-14 |language=en}}</ref>, Zalmayev admitted receiving $100,000 from Kremlin insiders as part of a 2011 smear campaign against Russian dissident Ashot Egiazaryan, who was then seeking political asylum in the United States.
==Russo-Ukrainian hybrid war== Since Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula, Zalmayev has provided regular commentary on the Russo-Ukrainian hybrid war, in various international broadcast media, including CNN,<ref>{{cite web |date=March 3, 2014 |title=CNN International, March 2, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYwof6nuHdc |website=YouTube}}</ref> BBC<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC, March 8, 2014: Ukrainian and Russian American friends on Crimea Crisis|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_sronr1jcU|author=BBC| website=YouTube |date=March 8, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BBC World News, March 16, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2lMX3wqsMw|author=BBC| website=YouTube |date=March 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BBC News, April 15, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3BB1A_VNgM|author=BBC| website=YouTube |date=March 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BBC World News, April 28, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iB-K2v7rEA|author=BBC| website=YouTube |date=March 28, 2014}}</ref> and Al Jazeera.<ref>{{cite web|title=Al Jazeera, March 3, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVw-fj7ZzbQ|author=Al Jazeera| website=YouTube |date=March 3, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Inside Story: Russian defence or dominance?|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWrwjmSYx2Q|author=Al Jazeera| website=YouTube |date=March 4, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Al Jazeera, March 15, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlPJzkRbrVg|author=Al Jazeera| website=YouTube |date=March 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Al Jazeera/America, March 15, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2UWBcFEd6M|author=Al Jazeera/America| website=YouTube |date=March 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Al Jazeera, May 4, 2014|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fdScnHrpqc|author=Al Jazeera| website=YouTube |date=May 4, 2014}}</ref> Zalmayev is also a regular contributor to Al Jazeera's website.<ref>{{cite web|title=Al Jazeera. Profile: Peter Zalmayev|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/profile/peter-zalmayev.html|author=Al Jazeera}}</ref>
In June - July 2014, Zalmayev appeared in leading Ukrainian broadcast media, including the country's main political talk show, Shuster LIVE with Savik Shuster, where he urged Ukraine's government to devise a broad international media campaign to help Ukraine in the face of Moscow's aggression.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shuster LIVE, June 20, 2014| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdhi9k31o_U|date=June 20, 2014}}</ref> Zalmayev also gave interviews to Ukraine's media resources as Hromadske TV,<ref>{{cite web|title=Hromadske.tv, July 8, 2014| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD8PCdhA7CQ|date=July 8, 2014}}</ref> VESTI Radio,<ref>{{cite web|title=Vesti Radio, Ukraine, July 4, 2014| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vulshZKdpbY|date=July 4, 2014}}</ref> and the 1+1 channel.<ref>{{cite web|title=1+1 Ukraine, July 8, 2014| website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTdP5YXjvEA|date=July 8, 2014}}</ref> He is also often a contributor to The Odessa Review.
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zalmayev, Peter}} Category:Living people Category:School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Pryamiy kanal people Category:Ukrainian journalists Category:Ukrainian Jews