Egyptian TV Presenter Sarah Khalifa Sentenced to Death in Drug Case

State media reports indicate that Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants have been sentenced to death by hanging following convictions for drug-related offenses. According to the state-owned al-Ahram newspaper, the group operated as part of a criminal syndicate responsible for importing chemical ingredients intended for the production and sale of illicit drugs. The defendants were also found guilty of possessing illegal firearms and ammunition.

Khalifa, the 39-year-old host of the crime-focused program “Mission Impossible,” has consistently denied the charges against her. While she faces the death penalty, nine co-defendants were handed life imprisonment sentences, and seven were acquitted. Her legal counsel has confirmed plans to appeal the ruling.

The verdict was initially announced the previous month but required formal confirmation after a month-long delay to obtain a religious opinion from Egypt’s grand mufti, a mandatory procedural step in capital cases. During the trial proceedings, the court reviewed evidence including statements from twenty witnesses and electronic records containing video clips and communications.

Authorities had seized over 750 kilograms (approximately 1,653 pounds) of narcotics and raw materials during the investigation. In a court appearance last September, Khalifa told the judge she had never encountered drugs prior to being photographed with them inside anti-narcotics facilities.

This case occurs against a backdrop of ongoing international scrutiny regarding capital punishment in Egypt. A 2025 report by Amnesty International documented 492 death sentences imposed throughout the year, with 23 executions carried out. The organization criticized the use of the death penalty for crimes such as drug trafficking and rape, stating they do not constitute ‘intentional killing’ under international legal standards.