During her career with the Algerian Liberation Front (ALF) while a student, Bouhired worked actively in the Algerian Revolution against French colonial rule. In April 1957, she was arrested by the French, tortured, and then sentenced to death. Her execution was stopped after a media campaign by her French lawyer, Jacques Vergès. She was released in 1962 and was regarded as a hero in Algeria and thoughout the Arab World.