Peter Zalmayev (Ukrainian: Пітер Залмаєв; born 1976) is a political scientist 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.

Peter Zalmayev
Born1976 (age 47–48)

Background

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Biography

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Peter Zalmayev was born in Donetsk.

Education

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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.[1] Zalmayev is a graduate of the International Peace Academy's (currently known as International Peace Institute)2003 Seminar "The Regionalization of Conflict and Intervention"[2] He has provided regular commentary to major U.S. and international print[3][4] and broadcast[5][6][7][8][9] 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.[10]

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

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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.[11] In October 2002, Zalmayev condemned the Kazakhstani government's persecution of Sergei Duvanov, an independent journalist,[12] 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[13] (on the eve of the Human Rights Day). In 2008, Zalmayev protested against Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's being nominated for the Nobel Prize.[14] Zalmayev was quoted in reports on Kazakhstan elections in 2010.[15] In 2010, Zalmayev, in an interview to Kyiv Post, criticized Ukraine's government for its attempts to muzzle independent media in the country.[16]

A 2015 New York Times article details how Zalmayev was paid $100,000 to help Kremlin insider Andrey Vavilov discredit a Russian dissident in the United States, Ashot Egiazaryan, through an undisclosed influence campaign falsely painting Egiazaryan as anti-Semitic.

Russo-Ukrainian hybrid war

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Following 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,[17] BBC[18][19][20][21] and Al Jazeera.[22][23][24][25][26] Zalmayev is also a regular contributor to Al Jazeera's website.[27]

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.[28] Zalmayev also gave interviews to Ukraine's media resources as Hromadske TV,[29] VESTI Radio,[30] and the 1+1 channel.[31] He is also often a contributor to The Odessa Review.

References

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  1. ^ Huffington Post Peter Zalmayev profile
  2. ^ "The Regionalization of Conflict and Intervention, Executive Summary" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ LA Times Activists Speak Out for Detained Uzbek Dissident 2001-12-01, retrieved 2012-12-10
  4. ^ Ken Silverstein (September 20, 2007). "Bogus Human Rights Group Objects to Being Called Bogus Human Rights Group". Harper's Magazine.
  5. ^ "BBC World News Today, interview with Jonathan Charles)". YouTube. April 9, 2010.
  6. ^ "CNN International, interview with Rosemary Church)". YouTube. June 13, 2010.
  7. ^ "BBC's The Hub, interview with Nik Gowing". YouTube. June 14, 2010.
  8. ^ "Russia Today, interview". YouTube. June 15, 2010.
  9. ^ "Russia Today, interview". YouTube. December 21, 2010.
  10. ^ "AJC: Board Members; 2012-13 New York Region". Archived from the original on 2012-11-14.
  11. ^ "League Testifies in European Parliament".
  12. ^ Antoine Blua (October 30, 2002). "Kazakhstan: Rights Groups Cry Foul In Journalist Rape Case". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  13. ^ "Defending Defenders: League Honors Five Human Rights Activists On Defenders' Day at U.N." December 9, 2002.
  14. ^ Nobel Prize for Alleged Human Rights Offender?” ABC News, July 9, 2008.
  15. ^ Politico“Reports: Opposition overthrows Kyrgyzstan government, president flees.” Politico, 2010.
  16. ^ "Detention of German foundation head seen as blow to free speech". Kyiv Post. July 2, 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  17. ^ "CNN International, March 2, 2014". YouTube. March 3, 2014.
  18. ^ BBC (March 8, 2014). "BBC, March 8, 2014: Ukrainian and Russian American friends on Crimea Crisis". YouTube.
  19. ^ BBC (March 16, 2014). "BBC World News, March 16, 2014". YouTube.
  20. ^ BBC (March 15, 2014). "BBC News, April 15, 2014". YouTube.
  21. ^ BBC (March 28, 2014). "BBC World News, April 28, 2014". YouTube.
  22. ^ Al Jazeera (March 3, 2014). "Al Jazeera, March 3, 2014". YouTube.
  23. ^ Al Jazeera (March 4, 2014). "Inside Story: Russian defence or dominance?". YouTube.
  24. ^ Al Jazeera (March 15, 2014). "Al Jazeera, March 15, 2014". YouTube.
  25. ^ Al Jazeera/America (March 15, 2014). "Al Jazeera/America, March 15, 2014". YouTube.
  26. ^ Al Jazeera (May 4, 2014). "Al Jazeera, May 4, 2014". YouTube.
  27. ^ Al Jazeera. "Al Jazeera. Profile: Peter Zalmayev".
  28. ^ "Shuster LIVE, June 20, 2014". YouTube. June 20, 2014.
  29. ^ "Hromadske.tv, July 8, 2014". YouTube. July 8, 2014.
  30. ^ "Vesti Radio, Ukraine, July 4, 2014". YouTube. July 4, 2014.
  31. ^ "1+1 Ukraine, July 8, 2014". YouTube. July 8, 2014.