Biography
Aleksandr Sobyanin from the city of Solikamsk faced criminal prosecution for his faith on the eve of his wedding. The beginning of the believer's married life was marked by a search and interrogation.
Aleksandr was born in June 1973 in the city of Krasnovishersk, Perm Territory. His father worked as a driver of heavy road equipment, and his mother worked as a kindergarten teacher. Aleksandr was the eldest child—he has a younger brother and sister.
As a child, Aleksandr was fond of aircraft modeling and wood carving, loved to ride a bicycle and a motorcycle. After school, he worked in a model shop at a paper mill. Recently he worked as a blacksmith on hammers and presses.
At the age of five, Aleksandr was worried about the question: why would every person have to die in the end? Later, he found the answer in the Bible. He was impressed by what he learned and decided to embark on the Christian path in 1992. His parents and younger brother share Aleksandr’s views.
With his first wife, Aleksandr lived in Solikamsk. They had a daughter together. Her mother died when the girl was only ten years old. In 2020, Aleksandr remarried. His second wife, Mariya, is a nurse, massage therapist and fitness instructor. She loves to sing, dance and train. Mariya shares Aleksandr’s views on life.
In his free time, Aleksandr goes skiing, going to the pool and traveling. Together with his wife, he loves to cook food from different countries, sing karaoke and skate.
Faced with criminal prosecution, the couple experienced stress. They recall: "Our life is no longer stable. For several weeks we could not relax and sleep peacefully. We no longer felt safe in our apartment."
Relatives and work colleagues could not believe that Aleksandr had been charged with extremism. Some offered to speak in his defense. "Reading the Bible is not a crime," said one of the relatives, who does not share the beliefs of Aleksandr and Mariya.