An executive at a company owned by the opposition-run İstanbul municipality was found with his hands and feet bound in an unused building on Friday after being abducted outside his home and severely beaten, according to his lawyer.
Erhan Karaal, acting deputy general manager for financial and administrative affairs at İstanbul Culture Inc., was taken to a hospital after police located him at an inactive construction site in İstanbul’s Tuzla district.
His lawyer, Tayfun Taşlıoğlu, said Karaal had been beaten nearly to death but was not in life-threatening condition.
Taşlıoğlu told BBC’s Turkish service that Karaal was found as his abductors were preparing to kill him. Karaal was not immediately able to give investigators a detailed statement because of his injuries, the lawyer said.
Prosecutors said eight suspects had been detained but did not identify them or announce a motive.
The authorities also did not disclose how investigators found Karaal, what connection the suspects had to him or whether they believed the abduction was related to his municipal position.
Karaal was attacked outside his home in İstanbul’s Maltepe district at about 9 p.m. Wednesday as his family prepared to go for a walk.
His wife, Ayşe Karaal, said two men struck him on the head and forced him into a vehicle as he shouted for police.
One of the couple’s daughters was beside him, while another witnessed the abduction from a window.
Security camera footage showed three men overpowering Karaal and forcing him into a waiting vehicle.
His wife said the authorities told her that the vehicle had a license plate copied from another car of the same make, model and color. Police found the car to which the genuine plate belonged and determined that it had not been driven for three days, she said.
Karaal’s phone later transmitted a signal from an open area in İstanbul’s Kartal district.
BBC reported that the abductors called Karaal’s wife the following day, threatened her and demanded money.
Prosecutors have not said whether they believe ransom was the motive or whether the demand was intended to conceal another purpose.
Karaal’s disappearance had raised concern because he is a defendant in the criminal prosecution targeting jailed İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and more than 400 municipal officials, employees and businesspeople.
İmamoğlu, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s main political rival, is accused of leading a criminal organization that prosecutors say used municipal contracts for bribery, fraud and the rigging of bids.
İmamoğlu and the other defendants deny the charges.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which controls the İstanbul municipality, says the prosecution was devised to remove İmamoğlu from politics and dismantle the administration elected by İstanbul voters.
His lawyer said Karaal remained hospitalized as the investigation into his abduction continued.