Two Japanese death row inmates have sued the government

He has filed a lawsuit against two Japanese men who were sentenced to death because their lawyers said Friday that they consider it inhumane to be told just hours before they are to be hanged when they have to die.

Both death row inmates are seeking compensation for a change in practice in court. Execution is carried out in Japan.
Human rights organizations have long been critical of the island nation’s practice of allowing criminals to be known only in the last hours of execution.
The two death row inmates filed a lawsuit against the government in Osaka court, arguing that the deadline of a few hours did not give them the opportunity to object to the death penalty, so a change of system and 22 million yen (about 60 million forinds) damage was required.

“Those sentenced to death will get up every day, and it will be their last day. This is very inhumane,” said Ueda Jutaka, one of the plaintiffs’ legal representatives. He also claims to be in violation of the Penal Code.

In advanced, industrialized democracies, the death penalty exists in Japan and the United States. There are currently 112 death row inmates in the island country, but no one has been executed for two years. In most cases, the majority of Japanese people support the death penalty for murder.

(MTI / Reuters)