Ilya was detained in March 2016 as part of a criminal case opened in 2014 after a clash between supporters of two Minsk football clubs — the "ultra-right" fans of Torpedo and the "anti-fascists" who supported Partizan. The case was initially closed, but almost a year and a half later, in February 2016, it was reopened. During the investigation in the pretrial detention center, Ilya was constantly subjected to psychological and physical pressure, and the case itself was built on testimony obtained under direct pressure and threats from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Threats were made not only against the defendants in the case, but also against their families, including Ilya's wife, who was pregnant at the time. He was convicted of "malicious hooliganism" and "leading an unregistered organization."
On December 29, 2022, he was released in accordance with the amnesty law of December 8, 2022.
