Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death

An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death in a major narcotics case involving the alleged

CAIRO: An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death in a major narcotics case involving the alleged manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.

The 39-year-old presenter was handed the death sentence by a Cairo court on Saturday.

Khalifa is known for hosting the television programme Mission Impossible, which focused on crime and security-related issues.

According to Egyptian state media, prosecutors accused Khalifa and the other defendants of forming an organised criminal network involved in obtaining materials used to manufacture narcotics.

The group was also accused of producing synthetic drugs for distribution and trafficking.

The charges included possession and transportation of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

Authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilograms of narcotics and raw materials during the investigation.

Investigators also discovered two apartments that were allegedly being used as laboratories for producing drugs.

Unlicensed weapons and ammunition were also recovered during the operation.

Before issuing the death sentences, the court referred the case to Egypt’s Grand Mufti for a religious opinion.

Such consultation is required under Egyptian law in cases where a court is considering the death penalty.

Khalifa has strongly denied the allegations.

Following the verdict, she protested her innocence in a post on X.

She said she had never even smoked a cigarette and insisted that she was not guilty.

The death sentences are not final and can be challenged through the appeals process.

Khalifa is also involved in business outside television.

She owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that organises parties and other events.

The case also includes a separate set of allegations.

The court sentenced Khalifa and several other defendants to five years in prison in connection with the alleged kidnapping and assault of a young man.

Egypt maintains the death penalty for several serious offences.

These include premeditated murder, terrorism, certain sexual offences and drug trafficking.

Capital punishment remains a highly controversial issue in Egypt, with rights groups regularly raising concerns about the number of death sentences handed down by Egyptian courts.

According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, Egyptian courts issued 541 death sentences in 2025.