In Egypt, television presenter Sarah Khalifa was sentenced to death by hanging alongside 11 other defendants following their convictions by the Cairo Criminal Court for operating a drug trafficking and manufacturing ring, according to state media reports and regional news coverage.
Trial Verdicts and Court Sentences
The Cairo Criminal Court handed down death sentences to 12 individuals, including Sarah Khalifa and her brother Mohamed Khalifa, after finding them guilty of forming a criminal network that imported raw chemical substances to manufacture synthetic drugs, according to reporting by al-Ahram and Caracol.com.co. The court also levied a fine of 500,000 Egyptian pounds (approximately US$ 9,814) against each of the 12 defendants sentenced to death. In addition to the capital punishments, the tribunal sentenced nine other individuals to life imprisonment, which carries a 25-year term according to Caracol.com.co, while seven people were acquitted in the same case.
Prosecutors presented evidence from 20 witnesses, alongside photographs, conversations, and videos that documented coordination among the defendants. Authorities reported seizing over 750 kilogramos of synthetic narcotics and raw manufacturing materials from a residential property that the group allegedly utilized as a secret laboratory to store and produce the drugs. Investigators stated that the network operated with different members managing distinct stages of the manufacturing and distribution process.
Legal Defense and Case Background
Legal counsel for Sarah Khalifa was contacted by CNN for comment following the verdict. During the sentencing hearing, video footage circulating on social media showed Khalifa weeping and pleading for mercy, stating that she has never smoked a cigarette and proclaiming her innocence under oath, though the footage could not be independently verified by CNN. Caracol.com.co reported that the sentence handed down to the siblings is subject to appeal.
The initial investigation involved 28 total suspects before the court finalized its rulings regarding the 28 individuals tried in the Cairo Criminal Court. State and regional reports detail that security forces tracked the planning of the ringleaders as they brought chemical raw materials across international borders.
Did You Know? Amnesty International reported that Egypt issued 492 death sentences in 2025, marking one of the highest recorded totals globally, while executing 23 prisoners during that same period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific charges led to the death sentences?
According to al-Ahram and Caracol.com.co, the defendants were convicted of organizing a criminal gang that imported substances for manufacturing synthetic drugs, trafficking narcotics, and possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
How many people were tried and sentenced in total?
The case involved 28 total suspects, resulting in 12 death sentences, nine life sentences, and seven acquittals, as detailed by prosecution records and court reporting.
Is the court’s decision final?
According to Caracol.com.co, the death sentences handed down by the Cairo Criminal Court are subject to appeal.