Ex-influencer "Doualemn" in Montpellier sentenced on appeal to five months' suspended prison term

Montpellier – 02.07.2026: The appellate chamber in Montpellier has sentenced former influencer Boualem Naman, known online under the name “Doualemn”, to five months’ imprisonment suspended. The case concerned a TikTok video published in January 2025 which the judges classified as “provocation non suivie d’effet à commettre un crime ou un délit” – that is, as an incitement to commit a crime that did not result in concrete acts.

The wording, tone and reach of the clip were central. On a platform where he at times had several hundred thousand followers, Naman had called for a “harsh rebuke” of a man regarded as critical of the government. The Montpellier public prosecutor’s office early on considered the publication to be criminally relevant. In procedural notices and local reports, prosecutor Fabrice Belargent was named as the responsible prosecutor. The defense emphasized that Naman regretted his choice of words; the court, however, stressed the responsibility of high-reach accounts when statements cross a threshold toward instigating violence.

The now-confirmed sentence is suspended; the ruling includes conditions, the exact form of which will be set out in the written reasons. Naman had already been similarly convicted in first instance in March 2025 and had appealed. The current decision does not necessarily end the proceedings: further legal remedies — for example before the Court of Cassation — are in principle possible, provided they are filed in time and properly reasoned.

The case also touches on the administrative law context. Naman had previously been issued expulsion orders and an “Obligation de quitter le territoire français” (OQTF), which were partially suspended by administrative courts. These measures had further strained already tense relations between Paris and Algiers in 2025. French authorities regularly cite danger prevention and public order in such proceedings, while defense lawyers argue proportionality and freedom of expression.

Beyond the individual case, the ruling points to a broader legal situation in the digital sphere: French courts punish calls to violence even when they do not lead to immediate acts, provided a concrete risk situation or a social resonance sphere can be identified. Platforms are simultaneously under pressure to moderate problematic content quickly. For Naman, the verdict means, in addition to a criminal record entry, continued monitoring by judicial and immigration authorities; any future violations could jeopardize the suspended sentence and revive related administrative proceedings.