Nazeeha Saeed: ‘I know the power of my voice and the power of the job I am doing’
In an interview with The Conversation by BBC World Service, journalist Nazeeha Saeed talked about her work and press freedom in Bahrain and in exile, turning points in her career, and her hopes for the future.
Nazeeha Saeed was interviewed by Ella Al-Shamahi for the BBC World Service’s programme The Conversation, alongside Yemeni journalist Hind al-Eryani who now lives in Sweden.
Bahrain, the Arab Spring, and journalism
Speaking of her work in Bahrain during the Arab Spring, Saeed shared that while the experiences of covering the events did not shape her and raise her as a journalist, seeing people speaking out changed her, saying that she ‘saw hope and lost hope’.
During this period, Saeed was arrested and spent 13 hours in detention for covering the protests, along with other journalists, protesters, medics who were treating the protestors, and political figures. Of the way in which this experience changed her, Nazeeha says:
‘I know the power of my voice and the power of the job I am doing, and this was an attempt to break me.
Undeterred, Saeed continued her work in Bahrain until 2016 until the situation escalated and her journalistic license was revoked, and a travel ban was imposed on her. She explained that travel bans are often used against journalists, human rights defenders, and lawyers as tools to limit their work.
Work and mental health in exile
Following her journalistic gut and the quest for the truth, Nazeeha Saeed told interviewer Ella Al-Shamahi that following her arrests and trial in Bahrain, she realised she needed to build her life and career in exile.
Thanks to carefully fostered networks in Bahrain and easily accessible technology, Saeed continued to report on issues in her home country and following up on people’s stories from exile. With press freedom in Bahrain in an increasingly perilous condition, ranking at 173 out 200 countries according to the Reporters Without Borders 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Saeed’s work is more important than ever.
Speaking of dealing with the mental toll of working as a journalist, and especially from exile, Nazeeha shared that she has learned how to take her of herself over the years through sports and diet. She also reflected on those of her colleagues who could not continue working due to the constant exposure to trauma and the pressure from authorities.
With hope for freedom and change, Nazeeha Saeed concluded the interview by stating that she believes that one day she will be able to go back to a democratic Bahrain where everyone can speak their mind up.
You can listen to the full episode of The Conversation podcast with Nazeeha Saeed here.
Nazeeha Saeed was in ICORN residency in Paris between 2017 and 2019. She currently lives in Berlin.
