Batkivshchyna Party leader Yulia Tymoshenko has drawn parallels between the arrest of the leader of the Movement of New Forces party and former Georgian president, Mikheil Saakashvili, and her arrest, calling on Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to release Saakashvili.

"I understand that Mikheil Saakashvili was imprisoned not by the prosecutor general, not by the court, not by any other law enforcement agency. It was you who imprisoned him. Therefore, I appeal to you - immediately cancel all your orders. Do not dishonor Ukraine in the eyes of the whole world and your own people. Immediately release Saakashvili!" reads Tymoshenko's appeal to Poroshenko, which was posted on the website of the Batkivschyna Party on Saturday, December 9.

She recalled that a similar story had already occurred: "Mr. President, you have lost your memory. You forgot that a situation similar to the arrest of Saakashvili had already occurred."

According to Tymoshenko, in his fourth year as president, Poroshenko became simultaneously president, prosecutor, parliament, government, court and general producer of all television channels.

"And now you are jailing your opponents - the way Yanukovych did it. Keep in mind how it all ended," the politician said.

As reported, Saakashvili was detained late on Friday, December 8. He is charged under Part 2, Article 256 of the Criminal Code (assisting members of criminal organizations and concealing their criminal activity), which foresees from five to ten years of imprisonment.