TV Presenter and 11 Others Sentenced to Death in Egyptian Drug Case

Sun Sep 06 2026 13:45:24 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Egyptian TV host Sarah Khalifa, along with 11 others, received death sentences for drug trafficking charges in a case that also involved firearms. The verdict has sparked international concern over legal procedures and human rights.

In a high-profile Egyptian court decision, television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 co‑defendants were condemned to death by hanging for alleged drug trafficking, possession of firearms, and other transgressions. The ruling, confirmed only after a Grand Mufti’s opinion, followed a trial where prosecutors presented seized drugs, electronic evidence, and witness statements. Amnesty International has highlighted concerns that the death penalty was applied to crimes not constituting intentional killing, raising questions about compliance with international norms.

Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other individuals have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted of drug trafficking and related crimes.

The defendants were accused of importing raw materials used in drug production with the intention to sell them, and also possessed illegal firearms and munitions.

Khalifa, 39, is best known for her TV programme Mission Impossible, which focused on crime issues. She has denied the charges and claims she was photographed with drugs only after she was taken to anti‑narcotics authorities.

The verdict was first announced last month, but only confirmed after a religious opinion from Egypt’s Grand Mufti—a legal requirement in death‑sentence cases.

During the trial, authorities seized more than 750 kg of narcotics and the raw materials to produce them. Twenty witnesses testified, and prosecutors presented electronic evidence such as conversations and video clips.

Amnesty International reports that in 2025 there were 492 death sentences issued in Egypt, 23 of whom were executed. The report notes that the defendants were found guilty of drug trafficking and rape, which do not constitute "intentional killing," a category that should trigger the death penalty under international law but was applied nonetheless.

Human rights organizations have expressed concerns that the legal process may not align with international human‑rights standards and that due process was potentially compromised.

For more information on the Amnesty International report, click here.