World
Cairo Court Condemns TV Host and 11 Others to Death in Major Narcotics Case
A Cairo court has sentenced a prominent television presenter and 11 co-defendants to death by hanging following convictions on drug manufacturing and trafficking charges, according to Egyptian state media reports on Saturday. The presenter, 39-year-old Sarah Khalifa, is widely recognized for hosting Mission Impossible, a program focused on security and crime issues. State-affiliated newspaper Al-Ahram reported that the court found Khalifa and the other defendants guilty of organizing a criminal network dedicated to acquiring materials for narcotics production, intending to traffic the drugs, and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition. Before issuing the ruling, the court sought a religious opinion from Egypt's Grand Mufti, a step mandated under Egyptian law for cases involving capital punishment. The sentence can still be appealed. Beyond her media career, Khalifa runs a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that organizes parties and events. The state-owned outlet Akhbar el-Yom reported that the defendants faced charges of producing synthetic drugs for trafficking purposes, using materials imported from abroad. Authorities uncovered more than 750 kilograms of narcotics and raw materials during their investigation, according to Al-Ahram, along with two apartments that had been converted into drug laboratories, as well as unlicensed weapons and ammunition. In a separate case, the court additionally sentenced Khalifa and others to five years in prison for the kidnapping and assault of a young man. Under Egyptian law, capital punishment applies to crimes including premeditated murder, terrorism, certain rape offenses, and drug trafficking. Data from the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms indicates that 541 death sentences were handed down across Egypt during 2025.