Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and eleven others were sentenced to death by hanging on Tuesday after a court found them guilty of drug trafficking and possession of illegal firearms. The verdict followed a trial that revealed the group had imported raw materials for drug production and held more than 750 kg of narcotics.
Al‑Ahram reported that the defendants were part of a criminal gang intent on selling the drugs. Nine of the accused received life sentences, while seven were acquitted. Khalifa, best known for her crime‑focused programme Mission Impossible, has denied the charges and her lawyer announced an appeal of the death penalty.
The court’s decision was first announced last month, but it was only confirmed after a religious opinion was obtained from Egypt’s grand mufti, a legal requirement for capital‑punishment cases. During the proceedings, authorities presented electronic evidence, including conversations and video clips, and testimony from twenty witnesses.
In a court appearance last September, Khalifa claimed she had never seen drugs until she was photographed with them inside anti‑narcotics authority offices. The case has drawn criticism from Amnesty International, which noted that the death sentences imposed in 2025 included crimes that do not fall under the “intentional killing” category required for the death penalty under international standards.
As the legal process continues, observers watch closely to see whether the appeal will overturn the sentence or if the death penalty will be carried out, a fate that has already claimed 23 lives in the year.
