Penological Analysis of Death Row Phenomenon in Drug Offenses (in the light of Temporal, Physical Experiential Components)

Death row inmates typically spend years waiting for execution. Using a penological perspective, the purpose of this study is to examine under what conditions the long waiting process for execution undermines the legitimacy of the death penalty. In this study, qualitative research methods have been used. The content of documents, including cases of death sentences in drug offenses (60 samples) between 2010 and 2020, have been analyzed. In addition, 26 cases of in-depth interviews with death row inmates of drug offenses, judicial activists, and lawyers have been conducted.The findings show that in Iran, death row inmates of drug offenses spend an average of three to four years in prison waiting. Some of the Death row inmates experience harsh conditions, such as overcrowding and lack of health care services in prisons. Furthermore, death row inmates experience increasing death anxiety for years. These components of the death row phenomenon can turn the death penalty into a cruel, inhumane, unusual, and at the same time double punishment. In this regard, recognizing the sufferings of the death row inmates as a basis for mitigating the death penalty, improving conditions of death row, and increasing access to mental health services can be a way to alleviate the unfavorable/inhumane situation of death row inmates.