Djamila Bouhired - Algerian Independence Mouvement

Algerian Independence Mouvement

Despite having been educated in a French school, Djamila was drawn to the revolutionary cause. Her brothers having already been involved with the underground nationalist struggle, Djamila was quick to join and would quickly became a figure of strength and freedom in the twentieth century. During the Revolution she worked as a liaison agent for the commander Saadi Yacef. Due to her good looks and European appearance, Djamila was a valued asset to the revolutionary cause as she could easily move around Algiers, passing through roadblocks without raising any suspicion. Because of this, it is likely that was at some time in charge of armed operations in the capital. However in June 1957, she was captured in a raid and accused of planting bombs in French restaurants, thus responsible for many deaths in Algiers. After considerable inhumane torture she was tried, convicted and sentenced to death by guillotine in July 1957. At the time, a french lawyer Jacques Vergès, sympathetic to the plight of Algerians heard of her sentence and decided to represent her. In what would be a historic trial, Jacques Vergès would wage a public relation campaign that would touch every corner of the world, prompting the voices of all to be heard. Due to his effective strategy, the French government found itself under overwhelming pressure from the world's public opinion and the execution was postponed indefinitely and eventually, Djamila Bouhired would be released. Though details on the case are hard to find, Jacques Vergès became a target of the French colonial government, and though unconfirmed by authorities, Jacques Vergès has admitted to having been a target of several failed assassination attempts which included a bomb placed in his apartment and another on a car that was thought to be his.