An Egyptian court has sentenced media personality Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death for their alleged roles in an organized criminal network involved in the manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs.
The Cairo Criminal Court handed down the sentences following a trial involving 28 defendants. Nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment, while seven were acquitted. The death sentences are subject to appeal and are not yet final.
Prosecutors accused the group of importing raw materials used to manufacture synthetic narcotics in Egypt before distributing and selling the drugs. The defendants also faced charges of possessing firearms and ammunition without licences.
More than 750 kilograms of narcotics and drug-manufacturing materials were seized during the investigation. Authorities also identified two apartments allegedly used as laboratories for producing the substances. Weapons, manufacturing equipment and other property linked to the offences were also confiscated.
The prosecution relied partly on the testimony of 20 witnesses and digital evidence, including messages, photographs and videos. The court also considered chemical analyses and other forensic evidence presented during the proceedings.
Khalifa, 39, has consistently denied involvement in the drug operation. Her lawyer, Mohamed El Gendy, said the conviction would be appealed, arguing that procedural errors occurred during the trial.
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Before imposing the death sentences, the court referred the case to Egypt’s Grand Mufti for an opinion, as required in Egyptian death-penalty cases. The Mufti’s opinion is advisory and does not bind the court.
Khalifa has been described in some international reports as a prominent Egyptian television presenter, although her media career has become a subject of debate following the verdict.
Ahram Online reported that she had worked in television but disputed portrayals of her as a major national television personality, describing her pre-arrest media profile as relatively limited.
She was arrested in April 2025 and remained in custody as the case proceeded through the courts for more than a year before the judgement.
The case attracted significant public attention in Egypt as details of the allegations and footage from the proceedings circulated online.
Khalifa is also facing a separate criminal case involving the alleged kidnapping and assault of a young man. That proceeding is unrelated to the drug-trafficking case in which she and the other defendants were sentenced.
The judgement represents the trial court’s decision and not a final determination, as the defendants have the right to appeal their convictions and sentences before a higher court.
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