Egyptian TV star Sarah Khalifa speaks out after being sentenced to death over drug charges

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa has been sentenced to death alongside 11 other people after being convicted in a major drug-trafficking case.

The 39-year-old presenter was among 12 defendants handed death sentences by hanging by Cairo’s Criminal Court, according to state-owned newspaper al-Ahram.

The group was also fined 500,000 Egyptian pounds, around $9,800.

Khalifa, who has 2.5 million followers on Instagram, has denied the allegations and her lawyer has said she will appeal the sentence.

Prosecutors alleged that the defendants were members of an organized criminal gang involved in importing substances used to manufacture narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

Khalifa was among 12 defendants sentenced to death by hanging by Cairo’s Criminal Court. (Sarah Khalifa/Instagram)

Authorities said more than 750 kilograms of synthetic narcotics, along with raw materials used to make drugs, were seized from a residential property allegedly used by the group to store and manufacture the substances.

The prosecution also accused members of the group of possessing firearms and ammunition without the required licenses.

The case included evidence from 20 witnesses as well as electronic material, including conversations, photographs and video footage.

Prosecutors said different people were allegedly responsible for different stages of the operation.

Khalifa is best known for presenting Mission Impossible, a TV program focused on crime. She also runs her own beauty clinic and previously hosted an entertainment show alongside musician Hamo Bika.

Authorities said more than 750 kilograms of synthetic narcotics and raw materials were seized in the case. (Getty Stock Image)

What has Sarah Khalifa said about the case?

During a court appearance last September, Khalifa reportedly denied having any involvement with drugs.

According to state-run Akhbar al-Youm, she told the judge she had never seen drugs until she was photographed with them inside the offices of Egypt’s anti-narcotics authority.

She has also been heard in footage circulating on social media asking the court for 'mercy and humanity.'

CNN reported that she said: “I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. I swear to Almighty God, with the strongest oath, that I have been wronged.”

The footage has not been independently verified.

The verdict was initially announced last month but was only formally confirmed after Egypt’s Grand Mufti provided the religious opinion required in death-penalty cases.

Nine other defendants received life sentences, while seven people were acquitted.

The case comes amid continued international scrutiny of Egypt’s use of capital punishment. Amnesty International recorded 492 death sentences in Egypt during 2025, while 23 prisoners were executed.

Its 2025 report also raised concerns over death sentences imposed for offenses that did not involve intentional killing, noting that international law and standards restrict the use of capital punishment to the most serious crimes