Why star TV presenter Sarah Khalifa faces the death penalty in Egypt and what comes next?
Egyptian law allows capital punishment for some serious drug offences, while a 2024 reform gives felony defendants a full appeal before the Court of Cassation. Euronews examines how the process works before a death sentence becomes final in Egypt.
Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa faces the death penalty for her alleged role in a synthetic drug manufacturing and trafficking case. Khalifa and 11 others were convicted last week in the case. She denies any involvement, claiming she had never smoked a cigarette. The appeal process for Khalifa and her co-defendants is underway.
In 2024, Egypt changed its criminal procedure to include a full appeal stage for felony cases. The appellate court can review the evidence, the prosecution's case, and the role attributed to each defendant. If the Court of Cassation upholds or changes the death sentence, it becomes final after being sent through several additional procedural steps.
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