Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted in a major drug manufacturing and...
Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted in a major drug manufacturing and trafficking case, according to Egyptian state media.
Khalifa, 39, is best known for presenting Mission Impossible, a television programme focused on security and crime issues. She has also been involved in business, including a cosmetic surgery clinic and a company that organises parties and events.
The Cairo court convicted Khalifa and the other defendants of forming an organised criminal group involved in obtaining materials used to manufacture narcotics, with the intention of trafficking the drugs. They were also convicted of possessing and carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition, according to state-linked Al-Ahram.
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Egyptian state media reported that members of the group had imported raw materials from abroad to manufacture synthetic drugs for sale. Authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilogrammes of narcotics and raw materials during the investigation.
Investigators also reportedly found two apartments that were being used as laboratories, as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The evidence presented to the court included witness statements and electronic material, according to reports citing Egyptian state media.
Khalifa has denied the charges and maintained her innocence. During the proceedings, she reportedly rejected the allegations against her and said she had not seen drugs until she was shown photographs taken inside the offices of Egypt’s anti-narcotics authorities.
The death sentences were confirmed after the court consulted Egypt’s Grand Mufti for a religious opinion. Consultation with the Grand Mufti is required under Egyptian law in capital cases, although the opinion is not itself the final judicial decision.
The verdict remains subject to appeal. Khalifa’s lawyer has said she will challenge the death sentence.
The court also imposed other sentences in the case. Nine additional defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, while seven people were acquitted, according to reports on the proceedings.
Khalifa and some of the defendants also received five-year prison sentences in a separate case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man.
The drug case has attracted attention because of Khalifa’s public profile as a television presenter. Her program, Mission Impossible, dealt with crime and security issues, while she also maintains a significant social media following.
Egypt retains the death penalty for a number of offences, including drug trafficking, premeditated murder, terrorism and certain rape offences. The country has faced criticism from human rights organisations over its use of capital punishment.
According to Amnesty International figures cited in reports, Egypt handed down hundreds of death sentences in 2025, while executions were also carried out during the year. The figures have been used by rights organisations in criticism of the country’s continued use of the death penalty.
For Khalifa and the other defendants sentenced to death, the latest ruling does not mean an immediate execution because the verdict can be appealed. The case will therefore continue through the Egyptian legal process.
