Natalia Sokol
| Natalia Sokol | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
June 3, 1980 Balakovo, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Other names | Koza, Kozlionok |
| Education | PhD of Physics in the Lomonosov Moscow State University |
| Known for | Voina |
| Spouse(s) | Oleg Vorotnikov |
Natalia Sokol aka Koza is the leader of the Russian highly political art-group Voina.
Natalia Sokol and her husband Oleg Vorotnikov are founding members of Voina, the most famous political artist group in Russia.
Since their formation in 2005 Voina have hit the headlines with their agitation in public space and their open critique against the Putin regime. Sokol has dedicated her life to art and has achieved good media coverage to point out the deplorable state of affairs in the corrupt state.
Natalia Sokol, better known by her artistic name Koza, is the author, as well as the coordinator and performer of the Voina works — the highest picks of Russian Actionism, such as: Mordovian Hour, 2007, Throwing Cats in McDonald's; Fuck for the Heir Puppy Bear, 2008, Pre-Election Orgie in Biological Museum; Cop in a Priest's Robe, 2008, 21st Century Russian Hero Gets Food for the Comrades by Robbing a Supermarket; Decembrists Commemoration, 2008, Voina Сelebrates Moscow City Day by Executing through Hanging Two Homosexuals and Three Illegal Migrant Workers inside the City's Biggest Mall; Storming the White House, 2008, Voina Troop Takes the Russian Parliament under the Skull and Bones Laser Drawing; Cock in the Ass, 2009, Punk Concert in the Court; Leo the Fucknut is Our President!, 2010, Blue Bucket Attack on President's Guard Limousine; Dick Captured by KGB, 2010, Giant Dick on Bridge; Palace Revolution, 2010, Reformation of the Ministry of Police by Playing Football with a Child and many others.
While Koza became an inspiring and iconic role model for artists and activists in Russia, the Russian police and special forces treated her repeatedly with attacks, beatings and arrests:
On November 15, 2010 the police from St.-Petersburg Investigative Committee broke into the Moscow apartment where Natalia Sokol has been living with her family and, without charge, illegally confiscated, and in fact stole all her documents, as well as cash allowance for childcare. In addition, the computers were stolen and other means of electronic communication. Oleg, Natalia's husband, was arrested and transported to St. Petersburg. Natalia with her one-year-old son Kasper was left on the streets without any support. Being without documents in the Russian Federation means a lack of medical care, public transport, voting right and so on. The famous Russian writer Vladimir Adolfych described her situation like this: "In Russia, even the sun does not rise without a passport."
On March 3, 2011 Natalia Sokol was beaten up by the anti-extremism police squad on the streets after a public lecture. They broke her camera and injured her child and other activists.
On March 31, 2011 Kasper, the son of Natalia Sokol was kidnapped during a demonstration on the street in the centre of St. Petersburg by the Russian riot police. Trying to save their son, the parents were arrested. Kasper had disappeared. Later his parents found out that the police had brought him in the City Children's Hospital where they had categorized him as "unidentified child". The family reunited shortly after Sokol had managed to escape from the police van on its way to the court. Obviously this incident was viewed as another provocation against the Russian police. Another criminal case against Sokol was opened in which she was accused for things she had not done, e.g. assaulting and insulting police officers. She was then pressured and threatened by the Russian law with both forced labour and imprisonment. This was announced in a Russian wide criminal investigation. Sokol was arrested in absence, while the Russian police spread out the news through media that Sokol was also declared an internationally wanted criminal searched by Interpol.
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