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Egypt Sentences TV Presenter Sarah Khalifa to Death

9/9/2026

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Summary

Khalifa Sentenced

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa was sentenced to death by hanging by a Cairo criminal court.
Khalifa and eleven co-defendants each received a death sentence and a 500,000-pound fine.
Authorities seized over 750 kg of synthetic narcotics and raw materials.
Police also confiscated two lab apartments and illegal firearms.
The court sentenced nine co-defendants to life imprisonment and acquitted seven.

Summary

Egypt Ramps Executions

Amnesty International recorded 23 executions in Egypt in 2025, up from 13 in 2024.
The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms logged 541 death sentences in 2025.
Human-rights groups say Egypt’s capital punishment should apply only to intentional killing, not drug offenses.
The court consulted Egypt’s Grand Mufti before confirming death sentences, though his advisory opinion is non-binding.

History

Historical Context

Egypt’s fight against narcotics intensified in the 1980s, when a 2003 study estimated the government spent about $800 million annually to curb a market that the 1989 report said involved up to two million users. The recent Cairo court sentencing of Sarah Khalifa and co-defendants follows that legacy of harsh drug laws, drawing criticism from the United Nations and Amnesty International for retaining capital-punishment provisions.

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Khalifa Sentenced

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa was sentenced to death by hanging by a Cairo criminal court.
Khalifa and eleven co-defendants each received a death sentence and a 500,000-pound fine.
Authorities seized over 750 kg of synthetic narcotics and raw materials.
Police also confiscated two lab apartments and illegal firearms.
The court sentenced nine co-defendants to life imprisonment and acquitted seven.

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