TV presenter among 11 sentenced to death in Egypt drugs case

Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and ten others have been sentenced to death after being convicted of drug trafficking and rape. The eleven were part of a criminal gang that allegedly imported ingredients to make drugs with the intention of selling them, along with illegal firearms and munitions. Khalifa, 39, is known for her program Mission Impossible, which focused on crime issues.

She has denied the charges against her. The verdict, while initially announced last month, was only confirmed a month later following a legal requirement for a religious opinion from Egypt's grand mufti. Prosecutors presented evidence of over 750kg of narcotics, raw materials for drug production, and electronic communications. During the trial, Khalifa claimed she had never seen drugs before being photographed with them in an anti-narcotics facility.

In 2025, Amnesty International reported 492 death sentences, of which 23 were executed. The defendants were convicted of drug trafficking and rape, both crimes that international law and standards dictate should not be met with the death penalty unless it's a case of intentional killing.