TV Presenter Sentenced to Death in Egypt, Authorities Give Reason for Judgment
- Beautiful Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 others were convicted on drugs and illegal weapons charges by an Egyptian court
- Khalifa is best known for hosting Mission Impossible, a programme that covered crime issues, and has denied all the charges against her
- The court seized over 750kg of narcotics during the trial, with 20 witnesses and electronic evidence presented to prosecutors
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues.
Cairo, Egypt - An Egyptian court has sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 co-defendants to death by hanging after finding them guilty of drug charges, with the verdict now confirmed following a required religious review.
As reported by Al Jazeera, Khalifa, 39, hosted the crime-focused television programme *Mission Impossible* and has consistently denied all charges against her.
Source: Twitter
Sarah Khalifa: How verdict was confirmed
According to state-owned newspaper al-Ahram, she and the other convicted individuals belonged to a criminal gang that imported raw materials used in drug production with the intent to distribute them. The group also faced charges related to possession of illegal firearms and ammunition.
Nine other defendants in the case received life imprisonment sentences, while seven were acquitted entirely.
The court first announced its ruling a month before the formal confirmation. Under Egyptian law, a death sentence cannot be finalised without a religious opinion from the country's grand mufti. Once that opinion was obtained, the verdict became official.
During proceedings in September 2025, Khalifa told the court that she had no prior knowledge of any drugs and only came into contact with them when she was photographed alongside them inside the anti-narcotics authority’s offices, the BBC noted on Sunday, September 6.
Authorities recovered more than 750 kilogrammes of narcotics and imported raw materials during the investigation. Prosecutors also relied on statements from 20 witnesses, along with electronic evidence that included recorded conversations and video clips, the Akhbar al-Youm newspaper reported.
Khalifa's lawyer has confirmed that an appeal against the death sentence will be filed.
Sarah Khalifa: Egypt's use of death penalty
A 2025 Amnesty International report recorded 492 death sentences in Egypt over the course of that year, 23 of which were carried out.
The report also noted that several defendants sentenced to death in Egypt were convicted of offences including drug matters and sexual assault, describing these as crimes that "did not amount to 'intentional killing' to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law and standards."
Watch a video on X below showing Sarah Khalifa after the death sentence was pronounced:
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Egypt clears nations for free entry
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that in an effort to clarify travel requirements for international tourists, the Egyptian Consulate General published an updated breakdown of visa guidelines.
The updated 2026 framework details which nationalities are eligible for a free entry permission stamp, those who can purchase a visa upon arrival, and citizens who must undergo rigorous pre-travel clearance.
Source: Legit.ng
