The Art for Freedom Initiative condemned the arrest of people dancing the halay to Kurdish songs, and said: "Leave people alone. Let them sing and dance freely."

In a written statement, the Art for Freedom Initiative said that the detention and arrest of people dancing the halay to Kurdish music violates the most natural rights of people. The statement said that everyone has the freedom to sing and dance in their own language.

The Initiative stressed that musicians singing Kurdish songs and people dancing the halay to these songs were subjected to legal action together with the local costumes they wore.

The Art for Freedom Initiative said that the emphasis on the 'political' songs to which people dance was actually a violation of people's most natural rights, and that "the accusation is actually forcing absurd statements by which singing Kurdish songs and dancing the halay could be banned. While they listen to every word in Arabic, the only thing that comes to their mind in Kurdish is 'terror'."

In addition, the statement referred to the questioning of practices such as the requirement to obtain permission from the provincial governor for the establishment of a halay team, and said: "Leave people alone. Let people sing and dance freely. Stop putting chains in your minds that label everything as 'objectionable' around the necks of others. The meaning of the word 'terror' has been exploited too much. Two-thirds of citizens have been associated with 'terror'. Halay is danced, songs are sung; the arts of the people existed before you and will exist after you."