Two death row inmates in Japan filed suit Friday against the country over Japan’s practice that has prisoners receive a notification only hours before their death penalty sentence is carried out. The inmates are demanding change and seeking 22 million yen in compensation for the impact of the “extremely inhumane” practice.

The prisoners filed a suit in district court in Osaka, arguing the short notice does not give them time to file an objection. Being unable to file an objection is an illegal practice that goes against Japan’s criminal code. The inmate’s lawyer, Yutaka Ueda, added that no law mandates that prisoners can only be told of their execution hours before it takes place. “The central government has said this is meant to keep prisoners from suffering before their execution, but that’s no explanation and a big problem, and we really need to see how they respond to the suit,” according to Ueda. 

Ueda also pushed back on the government’s notion that this is meant to keep prisoners from suffering before their execution. He said prisoners actually experience mental anguish due to this practice, and “death row prisoners live in fear every morning that that day will be their last. “Japan is really behind the international community on this,” Ueda further shared.

Capital punishment in Japan is carried out by hanging, and there are currently 112 people on death row in Japan.