El Chapo Says He's Going Stir-Crazy in Solitary

El Chapo's lawyers claim their client is being treated inhumanely by essentially locking him up in solitary confinement and throwing away the key ... and they want him moved to the prison's general population.

Chapo's lawyers say the conditions are horrendous ... he's confined to a closet-sized cell 23 hours a day, 5 days a week. Weekends are even worse ... he's in his cell 24 hours a day. He never sees daylight unless he passes by a window when he meets with his lawyers.

As for the one hour when he gets out ... Chapo gets to run on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike in a cell with a cadre of guards.

Chapo is fed through a slot in his cell door. He complains he can't sleep because the lights are always on and he shivers because the AC is cranked up too high.

And the famed escape artist says he can't tell if it's day or night because the clock he bought at the commissary was confiscated.

Chapo's lawyers have just filed legal docs, obtained by TMZ, in which they're asking the judge to order their client moved to general pop at the Metropolitan Correctional Complex in NYC.

It's a risky request because Chapo could be targeted by other inmates looking for notoriety.