Egyptian TV Presenter Sarah Khalifa Sentenced to Death in Drug Case

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa has been sentenced to death by hanging for her involvement in a drug trafficking and manufacturing network.

The Cairo Criminal Court formally confirmed the verdict Saturday, September 5, 2026, after the initial ruling last month required confirmation from Egypt's Grand Mufti. Eleven other defendants also received death sentences in the case. Nine other defendants received life imprisonment, and seven were acquitted. Khalifa, 39, is known for hosting the TV program "Mission Impossible," which focuses on crime topics.

She also owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and an event planning company. Prosecutors accused the network of importing raw materials from overseas to produce synthetic drugs for distribution. Authorities seized over 750kg of narcotics and raw materials, found two flats converted into drug laboratories, and unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Prosecutors presented testimony from 20 witnesses and technical and digital evidence.

Khalifa denies the charges, maintaining her innocence. She reportedly told the judge during a court hearing last September that she had never encountered drugs before being photographed with them at the anti-narcotics authority offices. She also told investigators she had never smoked a cigarette in their life. She pleaded for leniency, stating, "My parents raised me well; they are people who pray, and I don't need drug money."

Khalifa's lawyer stated an appeal against her death sentence will be filed to the Court of Cassation, Egypt's highest court for criminal cases. The Grand Mufti's opinion is advisory and not binding.