Egypt sentences TV producer Sarah Khalifa to death in major drug case

On Saturday, a Cairo Criminal Court sentenced well-known TV producer Sarah Khalifa and 12 other defendants to death by hanging in a major drug case. Additionally, nine defendants were handed life imprisonment sentences, while seven others were acquitted. The case involved an alleged organized network responsible for importing and trafficking narcotics into Egypt, as well as possessing firearms and ammunition without licenses.

The court had previously sought the Grand Mufti's religious opinion on Khalifa's and the other death penalty cases, a necessary step for the formal issuance of a death sentence.

According to the referral order, the network was allegedly led by several defendants, including two men who were fugitives. Other members of the group were recruited to perform various tasks within the operation. Prosecutors claimed that some individuals were responsible for obtaining raw materials from abroad, while others were involved in the manufacturing and distribution of the narcotics.

During the investigation, authorities seized over 750 kilograms of synthetic drugs and related materials, along with production equipment.

The verdicts on Saturday divided the 28 defendants among death sentences, life imprisonment, and acquittals. The case, referred to as the "major drugs case" by Egyptian media, highlighted the extensive involvement of the accused in various stages of the drug trafficking operation.