MOSCOW, RUSSIA Head of the criminal police in Moscow’s Shchukino district, Gorneyev, and his subordinate, Officer Puryshyeva, repeatedly took selfies in a hospital morgue, with dead bodies visible in the background. They then sent these photos to their friends and acquaintances to show off.
The issue escalated when one of the photos began to spread uncontrollably and eventually reached their superiors. This triggered a wave of investigations and dismissals. These two were the first to be fired, but several higher-ranking officials also lost their jobs as a result.
The selfie
As criminal investigators, they had nearly unrestricted access to the morgue as long as they could justify it, but such behavior is unacceptable. It violates the principles of police dignity, workplace ethics, abuse of power, confidentiality, and the protection of sensitive information.
The leaked photo also revealed unethical conditions in Russian morgues, where bodies are piled on top of each other like trash. This treatment is not only deeply disrespectful but also prohibited by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.
