TV presenter among 11 sentenced to death in Egypt drugs case

Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa has been sentenced to death alongside ten others in a drugs case. The state-owned al-Akhram newspaper reported that the 39-year-old is best known for her TV show Mission Impossible, which focused on crime-related topics. Khalifa has denied the allegations against her. The verdict, which can be appealed, was first announced last month but was confirmed a month later after the court received a religious opinion from Egypt's grand mufti, a legal requirement for death sentences.

The court found that over 750kg of narcotics and ingredients to make them had been seized, along with electronic evidence including conversations and video clips from 20 witnesses. Khalifa appeared in court in September and claimed she had never seen drugs before being photographed with them at an anti-narcotics authority office.

Amnesty International's 2025 report stated that 492 death sentences were issued that year, with 23 executions carried out. The defendants were found guilty of drug trafficking and rape, crimes that should not warrant the death penalty under international law and standards, according to Amnesty International.