Story perspectives

Sarah Khalifa Sentenced to Death for Synthetic Drug Trafficking

By Drooid · Sep 11, 2026, 1:37 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa was sentenced to death by hanging for alleged synthetic drug trafficking.
Cairo’s Criminal Court also sentenced eleven co-defendants to death and fined each 500,000 Egyptian pounds.
The rulings followed a mandatory, non-binding consultation with the Grand Mufti.
Khalifa, 39, denied involvement and said she was wronged.
She will appeal the death sentence.

History

Historical Context

Egypt’s mandatory death-penalty for large-scale drug trafficking stems from Law No. 182, passed in 1994 under President Hosni Mubarak; between 1994 and 2000 courts sentenced about 1,200 people to death. The Grand Mufti’s advisory role, once endorsed by Ali Gomaa, continues to shape cases like TV presenter Sarah Khalifa’s recent trial. Globally, Harm Reduction International notes 36 countries still retain the drug-death penalty, with 1,212 executions recorded in 2025.

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Story summary

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa was sentenced to death by hanging for alleged synthetic drug trafficking.
Cairo’s Criminal Court also sentenced eleven co-defendants to death and fined each 500,000 Egyptian pounds.
The rulings followed a mandatory, non-binding consultation with the Grand Mufti.
Khalifa, 39, denied involvement and said she was wronged.
She will appeal the death sentence.

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