Jean Polmanov case: French prosecutors seek prison sentence and social media ban for anchor in Jean Polmanov case
French prosecutors have called for jail terms and social media bans for two anchors accused of participating in violent and insulting online broadcasts before the death of Jean Polmanov. Web anchors Owen Cenazandotti, known online as Naruto, and Safine Hamadi appeared in court in Nice, France, to view videos broadcast on Kick between 2023 and 2025. Prosecutors said the content showed repeated abuse and called it a serious matter rather than simple entertainment. The case is expected to be decided on August 5.
French prosecutor wants Kick anchor jailed over Jean Pommanove abuse charges
During the trial, prosecutor Maude Marty asked the court to sentence Naruto to 30 months in prison, including 18 months of probation and one year of electronic monitoring at home. She also asked for a fine of 30,000 euros.Prosecutors asked for an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine of 15,000 euros for Safine Hamadi. They also asked the court to prevent the two from creating content on the online platform in the future.Marty told the court the flows were not a one-off event but part of a recurring pattern. She describes broadcasting as “A system that abuses humans” and stated that violence became a major part of the content.The two anchors face charges including group violence, abuse of vulnerable groups, sharing footage of violence and encouraging violence or hatred.The case involved an attack on Jean Pommanove, whose real name was Raphaël Graven, and another man who went by the online name Coudoux. Prosecutors said the video stream included acts such as slapping, kicking, hitting with objects, hair pulling, threats and paintball attacks.Naruto defended the videos as staged entertainment and claimed they brought joy to many viewers. He said they did not believe they had caused harm. However, Safin told the court he was not proud of his involvement.
Jean Polmanov’s death not part of current trial as investigation continues
Although the case is linked to Jean Polmanov, the current trial is not about whether Naruto or Safin caused his death.On August 18, 2025, Polmanov died at the age of 46 during a Kick live broadcast that lasted for more than 12 days. However, an autopsy reportedly found no evidence of trauma or anyone else responsible for his death.Both anchors said the actions shown in the video were agreed upon and made for entertainment. Polmanov’s mother also defended them after his death, saying they did not abuse her son and helped him enjoy life.The controversy continued after Kick removed the creators involved from the platform. Some members of their streaming group later appeared on other platforms and made new broadcasts, prompting additional investigations.French authorities also launched a separate investigation into those subsequent live broadcasts and raided the group’s live broadcast locations, taking away computer equipment for examination. A separate investigation is looking into Kick’s role, including how the platform handled content and whether enough action was taken.The final outcome of the trial will determine whether Naruto and Safin receive the punishment sought by prosecutors.
