An Egyptian criminal court has sentenced television presenter and producer Sarah Khalifa, along with her brother Mohamed Khalifa, to death after finding them guilty of founding and leading a criminal organization dedicated to producing and trafficking narcotics. The verdict, handed down by the Cairo Criminal Court on September 5, also included convictions for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
In addition to the capital sentence, the siblings were ordered to pay a fine of 500,000 Egyptian pounds (roughly $9,800). Prosecutors said their investigation revealed that Sarah and Mohamed Khalifa played the central, leading role in managing the criminal network. Nine other defendants tied to the case received life sentences—defined under Egyptian law as 25 years in prison—while seven additional suspects were acquitted.
Khalifa, known in Egypt for her television and production work, has denied all the accusations brought against her by prosecutors. Her attorney has now confirmed plans to appeal the death sentence, arguing the case is far from settled. The legal battle is expected to draw continued attention in Egypt, where the case has already generated significant public interest given Khalifa’s media profile.
For more details on the case and the appeal process, read the full original report at eltiempo.com.
Source: Habló abogado de presentadora condenada a muerte en Egipto por presunta participación en narcotráfico (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: OpenDataInstitute, BY-SA 2.0 (via Openverse).