Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and eleven other individuals have been sentenced to death by hanging following their conviction on drug-related charges. According to the state-owned al-Ahram newspaper, the group was part of a criminal gang that imported raw materials used to manufacture illicit drugs for sale.
The defendants were also found to be in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition. Khalifa, aged 39, is widely recognized for hosting the crime-focused television program Mission Impossible. She has vigorously denied all allegations against her.
In the broader trial, nine other defendants received life sentences, while seven were acquitted. Khalifa’s legal representative has confirmed that an appeal will be filed against the death penalty verdict.
The court’s initial announcement of the verdict occurred last month, but it was officially finalized only after the grand mufti of Egypt issued a religious opinion, fulfilling a mandatory legal requirement in capital punishment cases.
During the proceedings, the court was presented with evidence showing that law enforcement had seized over 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) of narcotics, along with the imported precursor materials used for their production. Prosecutors submitted statements from twenty witnesses, supported by electronic evidence including recorded conversations and video footage.
According to reports from the state-run Akhbar al-Youm newspaper, Khalifa testified during a court appearance last September that she had never actually seen any drugs until she was photographed with them inside the offices of the anti-narcotics authority.
A 2025 report by Amnesty International highlighted that Egypt had issued 492 death sentences during the year, of which 23 executions were carried out. The organization noted that the convictions in this case, which included charges of drug trafficking and rape, did not meet the threshold of “intentional killing” under international law and standards, where the application of the death penalty should be strictly limited.
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