Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted of drugs charges, state media reported, as According to state-owned al-Akhram newspaper, they were part of a criminal gang which imported ingredients used to make drugs with the intent of selling them. The court also found the group in possession of illegal firearms and munitions. Khalifa, 39, is best known for her TV programme Mission Impossible, which dealt with crime issues. She has denied the charges.

Convictions and Legal Process

The verdict, which can be appealed against, was first announced last month. However, it was only confirmed a month later after the court obtained a religious opinion from the grand mufti of Egypt, a legal requirement in death sentence cases. During the trial, the court heard that authorities had seized more than 750kg (1,653lbs) of narcotics and the imported raw materials to make them. Twenty witnesses had given statements to the prosecutors, al-Akhram said, in addition to electronic evidence that included conversations and video clips.

According to the state-run Akhbar al-Youm newspaper, when asked by the judge about her alleged role during a court appearance last September, Khalifa said she had never seen any drugs until she was photographed with them inside the anti-narcotics authority offices. The court also sentenced Khalifa and others to five years in prison over a separate case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man.

Death Penalty in Egypt

Egypt applies the death penalty for premeditated murder, terrorism, some rape offences, and drug trafficking. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, 541 death sentences were issued in Egypt in 2025. A 2025 Amnesty International report noted that there were 492 death sentences in the course of the year, 23 of whom were executed. The report also pointed out that the defendants were found guilty of drug trafficking and rape — crimes that did not amount to ‘intentional killing,’ to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law and standards.

Background on Sarah Khalifa

Sarah Khalifa is a well-known figure in Egyptian media, having hosted the popular TV show Mission Impossible, which focused on security and crime issues. In addition to her television work, Khalifa also owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that specialises in organising parties and events. The state-linked Al-Ahram newspaper said a Cairo court sentenced her and 11 other defendants to death by hanging on charges of forming an organised criminal gang specialising in procuring materials used in manufacturing narcotics, with the intent to traffic them, and possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

According to Al-Ahram, authorities seized more than 750kg of narcotics and raw materials, and found two apartments used as laboratories as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The verdict is subject to appeal. The court’s decision was finalised after consulting the Grand Mufti of Egypt for his religious opinion, a procedure required by Egyptian law in capital cases.