Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 co-defendants have been sentenced to death by hanging following their convictions for drug manufacturing and trafficking, according to state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper and regional news reports. The Cairo Criminal Court ruling concludes a high-profile criminal proceeding that local media dubbed the “Grand Drug Case.”
The Verdict and Legal Process
The Cairo Criminal Court issued the capital punishment sentences after convicting the defendants of establishing a criminal gang that imported raw materials to manufacture synthetic drugs and distributed them. According to Al-Ahram, authorities also seized illegal firearms, munitions, and two apartments utilized as drug manufacturing facilities. The court case initially involved 28 defendants, resulting in nine life sentences and seven acquittals, as reported by Gulf News and Yahoo. The verdict requires an appeal process before any final implementation. The sentence was confirmed a month after its initial announcement following a mandatory religious consultation with the Grand Mufti of Egypt, a legal requirement in capital punishment cases where the religious authority provides an advisory opinion, according to Egypt Independent.
Evidence and Seizures
Prosecutors presented extensive physical and digital evidence during the trial proceedings. According to state reports, authorities seized more than 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) of narcotics and imported chemical precursors. Twenty witnesses provided statements to prosecutors alongside electronic evidence containing conversations and video clips, Al-Ahram reported. The prosecution stated that the defendants divided operational tasks, with some smuggling chemicals from abroad, others manufacturing the substances, and remaining members handling distribution, according to Akhbar Al-Youm.
Defendant Background and Defense
Sarah Khalifa, 39, gained public recognition hosting the crime and security television program “Mission Impossible” and maintains a significant social media presence alongside business ventures in events management and a plastic surgery clinic, according to Arab News and The New Arab. Arrested in April 2025 on suspicion of manufacturing and trafficking drugs, Khalifa denied the allegations. During a court appearance last September, she told the presiding judge that she had never seen any narcotics until officers photographed her with them inside the anti-narcotics authority offices, according to Akhbar al-Youm. Alongside the drug case, the same Cairo Criminal Court sentenced Khalifa and co-defendants to five years’ imprisonment in a separate proceeding for kidnapping and beating up a young man, according to reports cited by Yahoo.
Capital Punishment Context in Egypt
Egyptian courts apply the death penalty in cases involving premeditated murder, terrorism, certain rape offenses, and drug trafficking. Discrepancies exist in reported figures for capital punishment totals; a 2025 Amnesty International report documented 492 death sentences issued during the year with 23 executions carried out, noting that defendants were convicted of drug trafficking and rape—crimes the report stated “did not amount to ‘intentional killing’ to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law and standards.” Meanwhile, the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms recorded 541 death sentences issued by Egyptian courts in 2025, according to Yahoo.
Did You Know?
In the Egyptian legal system, death penalty verdicts must be referred to the Grand Mufti of Egypt for a religious opinion before the court finalizes the sentence. While the Mufti’s assessment is strictly advisory and non-binding, obtaining it is a mandatory procedural step in capital cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific charges led to the death sentences for Sarah Khalifa and the co-defendants?
The defendants were convicted of establishing a criminal gang, importing and supplying raw materials to manufacture synthetic drugs, drug trafficking, and possessing illegal firearms and ammunition.
What is the status of the legal verdict?
The death sentences, delivered by the Cairo Criminal Court, can be appealed by the defense team.
How much evidence did authorities recover in the case?
Authorities seized more than 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) of narcotics and chemical precursors across two apartments used as manufacturing facilities, alongside unlicensed weapons and ammunition.