Dzianis Khakhlou lived in Russia since February 2023, he went there because he feared persecution in Belarus. He was going to leave Russia for Georgia, but on June 11, 2023, he was detained in Kabardino-Balkaria because he was on the interstate wanted list at the request of Belarus (a criminal case was brought against him under Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code).

During the extradition check, Khakhlou was placed in the temporary detention centre in Nalchik. The prosecutor's office came to the conclusion that the act imputed to Khakhlou is not considered a crime in Russia.

However, Khakhlou was not released. He was taken to the Zolsky District Court, where he was informed that an administrative report had been drawn up against him for exceeding the maximum period of stay in Russia without registration for 1 month and 8 days. The court found him guilty of committing an administrative offense and imposed an administrative penalty in the form of administrative expulsion to Belarus.

On October 26, 2023, Khakhlou stood trial in Škloŭ for participating in protests and violating Part 1 of Article 342 of the Criminal Code. Judge Aliaksandr Tarakanau presided over the trial and sentenced the political prisoner to one year and six months of imprisonment in a general-security penal colony.