Egypt: TV presenter sentenced to death for drug trafficking

Egyptian courts have sentenced a television presenter and eleven other people to the death penalty for manufacturing and trafficking drugs, state media reported on Saturday. According to the al-Ahram newspaper, the Cairo Criminal Court "sentenced producer Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging, for having formed a criminal organization specializing in the importation of substances used in the manufacture of drugs, with a view to selling them."

They were also convicted of “illegal possession and possession of firearms and ammunition,” according to this source and several other government media outlets, including Akhbar al-Youm. Authorities seized more than 750 kg of drugs and raw materials used in their manufacture, as well as tools and machinery from two apartments that served as laboratories, according to al-Ahram.

The verdict was pronounced after the court sent the file to the grand mufti to consult his religious opinion, as provided for by law. Those convicted can still appeal.

Sarah Khalifa, 39, also a business manager, is known for her show “Mission Difficult” on the private channel al-Mehwar, devoted to security and crime affairs. She has also presented shows on online platforms and has 2 million followers on Instagram.

The proceedings began last year and targeted the presenter and 27 people, including her brother. She was also sentenced to five years in prison for involvement in another case, relating to the kidnapping and assault of a young man.

Egypt uses the death penalty for several crimes, including premeditated murder, terrorism, certain rapes and drug trafficking. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, an NGO, 541 death sentences were handed down in 2025 in the country.