Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted in a major drug trafficking case.
The defendants were accused of belonging to a criminal group involved in importing materials used to manufacture illegal drugs for distribution. Authorities also found firearms and ammunition linked to the group.
Khalifa, 39, who is known for presenting the crime-focused television programme Mission Impossible, has denied the allegations against her. Her lawyer has said the death sentence will be challenged through an appeal.
The case involved the seizure of more than 750 kilogrammes of narcotics and raw materials allegedly intended for drug production. Prosecutors also presented statements from 20 witnesses alongside electronic evidence, including conversations and video recordings.
Nine other defendants were handed life imprisonment sentences, while seven people were acquitted.
Although the court announced the verdict earlier, the death sentences were formally confirmed after the case was referred for a religious opinion from Egypt’s Grand Mufti, a required step in capital punishment cases.
