Sarah Khalifa, Egyptian TV Star, Gets Death Penalty in Drug Case

An Egyptian television personality and social media influencer, Sarah Khalifa, aged 39, has been condemned to death by hanging by the Cairo Criminal Court. This severe verdict came after she was found guilty of her purported involvement in a substantial drug trafficking ring. Reports indicate that Khalifa, a former presenter of the Egyptian crime programme "Mission Impossible" with a social media following exceeding two million, was visibly distressed in court as the judgment was delivered.

Alongside Khalifa, eleven other individuals also received the death penalty. Throughout the proceedings, she vehemently denied all accusations, reportedly pleading to the court, "Please listen to me, sir. My parents raised me well; they are people who pray, and I don’t need drug money." She also maintained during interrogations that she had "never smoked a cigarette" in her entire life.

According to details from Egyptian state media, Khalifa and her co-defendants were convicted of running an organised syndicate. This group was alleged to have imported essential raw materials for the production of synthetic drugs and subsequently stored the finished illicit substances in various residential locations. Her arrest took place in Cairo in April 2025.

During the extensive investigation, law enforcement officials reportedly confiscated over 1,600 pounds of narcotics, in addition to unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The case saw a total of 28 individuals facing charges. Out of these, nine were handed life imprisonment sentences, while seven others were ultimately acquitted. Before the final pronouncement of the death sentences, the court adhered to legal requirements by forwarding the defendants’ files to Egypt’s Grand Mufti for a religious assessment. It has been noted that these death sentences are eligible for appeal, a provision made possible by recent judicial reforms.