An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death for their involvement in manufacturing and trafficking narcotics, as reported by official media on Saturday. The verdict, issued by a Cairo court, was based on charges of forming an organised criminal gang specialising in procuring materials used in manufacturing drugs, with the intent to traffic them, as well as possessing and carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Background of the case
Sarah Khalifa, 39, is best known for presenting the programme Mission Impossible, which focused on security and crime issues. The state-linked Al-Ahram newspaper reported that the court sentenced Khalifa and the other defendants to death by hanging. The verdict was issued after the court consulted the Grand Mufti of Egypt for his religious opinion, a procedure required by Egyptian law in capital cases. The verdict is subject to appeal.
Khalifa also owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that specialises in organising parties and events, adding a layer of public interest to the case.
Charges and evidence
According to the state-run Akhbar el-Yom newspaper, the defendants were charged with manufacturing synthetic drugs with the intent to traffic them, by importing the materials used in manufacturing from abroad. Al-Ahram reported that authorities seized more than 750kg of narcotics and raw materials, and found two apartments used as laboratories, as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
The court also sentenced Khalifa and others to five years in prison over a separate case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man.
Context and impact
Egypt applies the death penalty for premeditated murder, terrorism, some rape offences and drug trafficking. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, 541 death sentences were issued in Egypt in 2025, highlighting the frequency of such rulings in the country's legal system.
