Egyptian TV presenter sentenced to death on drug charges

Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa was among 12 people sentenced to death for their alleged role in a drug trafficking network on Saturday, according to a state-owned Egyptian outlet. The 12 defendants, including Khalifa, were sentenced to death by hanging and fined 500,000 Egyptian pounds ($9,800) by Cairo’s Criminal Court, the al-Ahram newspaper reported. They were accused of forming an organized criminal gang “specializing in importing substances used in the manufacture of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking,” as well as possessing firearms without a license, al-Ahram said. Nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment and seven were acquitted. Khalifa, who has 2.5 million followers on Instagram, is a well-known presenter who runs her own beauty clinic and hosted an entertainment show with musician Hamo Bika. CNN has contacted her attorney for comment.