Egyptian TV presenter's plea after death sentence for alleged drug trafficking ring involvement

An Egyptian television presenter broke down crying in court after she was sentenced to death by hanging.

Khalifa, 39, was among 12 defendants handed the death penalty by a Cairo criminal court.

She has been convicted of involvement in an organised criminal gang, which had been accused of manufacturing and trafficking synthetic drugs.

Nine other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, while seven were acquitted in the case, which involved 28 people in total.

The presenter is best known for hosting the crime and security show Mission Impossible.

Khalifa has consistently denied the allegations against her, and her lawyers have said they intend to appeal the verdict.

According to the New York Post, the presenter wept in court and pleaded with officials to change their mind.

"Please listen to me, sir," she insisted.

The TV presenter cried in court after her sentence was read out (Instagram/sara_khaliifa)

"My parents raised me well; they are people who pray, and I don’t need drug money,” added the star, who has more than two million followers on her social media platforms.

She also insisted she has never even 'smoked a cigarette in her life'.

Her arrest and subsequent sentencing came after authorities seized more than 750kg of narcotic substances during the investigation.

Two residential properties were also allegedly being used as laboratories, while unlicensed firearms and ammunition were discovered during the search.

Khalifa's legal team also argued that she did not see any of the drugs until she was taken into custody and photographed with them.

Alongside her television work, she owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and an events production company, so is a familiar face to many.

Her sentence had been announced previously but required consultation with Egypt's Grand Mufti, whose opinion is sought in capital cases.

The opinion is advisory rather than a judicial ruling, and the court subsequently confirmed the sentences.

Her legal team has argued she did not see the drugs until she was photographed with them (Instagram/sara_khaliifa)

Under Egypt's judicial system, death sentences can be challenged through the courts, meaning the ruling does not necessarily mean Khalifa or the other defendants will be executed.

The process can take several months or, in some cases, years before an execution is carried out

Khalifa was arrested in April 2025 during the investigation into the alleged trafficking network.

She also received a separate prison sentence in connection with another case heard by the court.

Al Jazeera said she was sentenced to three years for assaulting and filming her driver, while The Guardian reported a five-year sentence involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man.

Egypt retains capital punishment for a number of serious offences, including drug trafficking, terrorism and premeditated murder.

The country's use of the death penalty has attracted criticism from human rights organisations.

Organisations such as Amnesty International have shared concerns about death sentences following what they deem to be unfair trials.

According to The Guardian, the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms recorded 541 death sentences in Egypt during 2025.

Another state-linked media publication wrote: "Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging on charges of forming an organised criminal gang specialising in procuring materials used in manufacturing narcotics, with the intent to traffic them, and possessing and carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition."

The verdict remains subject to appeal.