TV presenter among 11 sentenced to death in Egypt drugs case

Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other people have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted of drugs charges.

According to state-owned al-Akhram newspaper, they were part of a criminal gang which imported ingredients used to make drugs with the intent of selling them.

Khalifa, 39, is best known for her TV programme Mission Impossible which dealt with crime issues. She has denied the charges.

The verdict - which can be appealed against - was first announced last month.

However, it was only confirmed a month later after the court obtained a religious opinion from the grand mufti of Egypt - a legal requirement in death sentence cases.

During the trial, the court heard that authorities had seized more than 750kg (1,653lbs) of narcotics and the imported raw materials to make them.

Twenty witnesses had given statements to the prosecutors, al-Akhram said, in addition to electronic evidence that included conversations and video clips.

According to the state-run Akhbar al-Youm newspaper, when asked by the judge about her alleged role during a court appearance last September, Khalifa said she had never seen any drugs until she was photographed with them inside the anti-narcotics authority offices.