Culture
Egyptian state media reported on Saturday that a court has sentenced well-known television host Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people to death in a case involving the large-scale production and smuggling of drugs. The 39-year-old
Egyptian state media reported on Saturday that a court has sentenced well-known television host Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people to death in a case involving the large-scale production and smuggling of drugs. The 39-year-old Khalifa is known for hosting the programmed Mission Impossible, which focused on security and crime-related issues. According to the state-affiliated newspaper Al-Ahram, a Cairo court sentenced Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging for forming an organized criminal group to obtain materials used in drug production and possessing them with the intention of selling them. They were also accused of possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition.
Before issuing the verdict, the court sought a religious opinion from Egypt’s Grand Mufti. Egyptian law requires courts to follow this procedure in death penalty cases. However, the verdict can be appealed. Khalifa also owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that organizes events and parties. According to the state-owned newspaper Al-You, the defendants were also accused of importing raw materials from abroad for the production of synthetic drugs, with the intention of manufacturing and smuggling them.
Al-Ahram reported that authorities seized more than 750 kilograms of drugs and raw materials. They also discovered two apartments allegedly being used as laboratories for manufacturing drugs. Unlicensed firearms and ammunition were also recovered from the locations.
The court also sentenced Khalifa and the other defendants to five years in prison in a separate case involving the alleged kidnapping and torture of a young man. In Egypt, the death penalty can be imposed for crimes including premeditated murder, terrorism, certain types of rape and drug trafficking. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, Egyptian courts handed down 541 death sentences in 2025.
