EGYPTIAN TV HOST SARAH KHALIFA SENTENCED TO DEATH IN MAJOR DRUG CASE

An Egyptian criminal court in Cairo has sentenced television presenter and media personality Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging after finding them guilty in a major synthetic drug trafficking case. The 39-year-old presenter, who is known for hosting the crime-focused programme Mission Impossible, was convicted of involvement in an organised criminal group accused of importing materials used to manufacture synthetic narcotics for distribution. The court also found the defendants guilty of possessing firearms and ammunition without licences.

The case involved 28 defendants in total, with prosecutors alleging that the group operated through a structured division of responsibilities. According to the prosecution, some members were involved in sourcing raw materials from abroad, while others handled the production, storage and distribution of the drugs. Authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilogrammes of synthetic narcotics and manufacturing materials during the investigation, while two residential apartments allegedly used as drug laboratories were also discovered.

Khalifa, who was arrested in Cairo in April 2025, has consistently denied involvement in the alleged drug operation. Prosecutors, however, alleged that she provided financial support to parts of the network and acted as a link between some of its members. The prosecution relied on statements from 20 witnesses as well as digital and technical evidence, including messages, photographs and videos, which it said documented activities connected to the alleged criminal operation.

The death sentences were issued after the court obtained the opinion of Egypt's Grand Mufti, a required procedural step in capital cases, although the Mufti's opinion is advisory rather than binding on the court. Nine other defendants in the wider case were sentenced to life imprisonment, while seven were acquitted. The death sentences are not final, as the defendants have the right to challenge the ruling before Egypt's Court of Cassation. Khalifa's lawyer has indicated that the defence intends to appeal.

Khalifa also received a separate prison sentence in another case heard by the Cairo court involving the assault and filming of a young man at her home. Despite the latest ruling, the presenter remains entitled to pursue the available appeals process, meaning the death sentence could still be reviewed by a higher court. The case has attracted significant attention in Egypt because of Khalifa's profile as a television personality and the scale of the alleged synthetic drug operation.