A criminal court in Cairo has handed down death sentences to 12 individuals, including television presenter Sarah Khalifa, following their conviction in a major drug trafficking case. The court proceedings concluded with the judge finding the defendants guilty of operating a criminal network involved in the illegal distribution of narcotics.

While the court’s ruling is definitive at this stage, the legal process in Egypt typically allows for appeals in capital cases. The sentencing has drawn attention due to the high-profile nature of Khalifa’s career in Egyptian media. Details regarding the specific types of narcotics involved or the duration of the investigation leading to the arrests remain limited in current reports. The court has not yet released the full written justification for the severity of the sentences, which is a standard procedure in the Egyptian judicial system following such high-stakes verdicts. The defendants remain in custody as their legal teams prepare for the next steps in the judicial process.