Egyptian TV presenter sentenced to death for drug trafficking

A Cairo court has sentenced popular television presenter Sara Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging in a drug-trafficking case. Khalifa denies having any connection to drugs, and her lawyer has announced an appeal against the sentence.

According to the state newspaper Al-Ahram, the defendants belonged to an organized criminal group that imported materials from abroad for the production of drugs intended for sale. Authorities seized more than 750 kilograms of drugs and materials used in their manufacture during the investigation. They also found illegal firearms and ammunition.

Khalifa, 39, is known for presenting “Mission Impossible,” a program focused on crime and security. She also ran a cosmetic surgery clinic and an event-organizing company, and had more than two million followers on Instagram.

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I had never seen any drugs before I was photographed with them at the headquarters of Egypt’s anti-narcotics authorities.

The state newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm reported that Khalifa told the court during a September hearing that she had never seen any drugs before she was photographed with them at the headquarters of Egypt’s anti-narcotics authorities. During the investigation, she also said she had never even smoked a cigarette.

The death sentences were first announced in the case a month earlier. The court then sought a religious opinion from Egypt’s grand mufti, a legally required step in cases that may result in capital punishment. The mufti formally interprets Islamic law for state institutions and private individuals, but the opinion does not bind the court. After receiving it, the court confirmed the sentences. Egyptian law allows the death penalty for crimes including drug trafficking, terrorism and premeditated murder. Amnesty International said 492 death sentences were issued in Egypt in 2025 and that 23 people were executed.

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I have never even smoked a cigarette.