Giuli Alasania, the mother of Mikheil Saakashvili, former Georgian president, ex-head of the Odesa region, and leader of the Ukrainian opposition party, the Movement of New Forces, said she believes her son was detained illegally in Kyiv.

"His detention is absolutely illegal," the Georgian media cited Alasania as saying on Saturday. She said she believes that the Ukrainian authorities "while doing so, still have claims" to be democratic and aspire to join the European Union.

She said she is ready to come to Ukraine only if it is necessary and she is requested to do so. "I will not go on my own initiative to avoid interfering. I will do what the matter requires," she said.

Commenting on Saakashvili's health condition, Alasania said she has little information and she only knows that he has a bad cold. She said she does not rule out him having pneumonia.

According to the Georgian media, Saakashvili's wife Sandra Roelofs said earlier on Saturday that she believes her husband's detention in Kyiv is "politically motivated."

"He has been threatened since he joined the opposition about a year ago. Despite those threats, he still decided to return from Poland to Ukraine and continue fighting, "the media cited her as saying.

The goal of the Ukrainian authorities is silencing Saakashvili, Roelofs said. "It won't work. Ukrainians with international support will surely confirm that such treatment of political opponents is unacceptable and illegal," she said.

As reported, Saakashvili has been detained on Friday evening. He is charged with aiding and abetting to members of criminal groups and concealing their criminal activities and is facing from five to ten years of imprisonment.

Saakashvili is currently being held in a temporary detention facility of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv.

The court is to impose a restrictive measure on him within 72 hours.