Mutinous prisoners at a jail in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo have released more than 30 of the 600 hostages they have been holding for the past three days.

The women and young children were freed after the inmates issued new demands, including the immediate release of prisoners who would have a right to parole.

It is not clear whether officials at the prison in the town of Sorocaba have agreed to their demands. The inmates had backed down on an earlier agreement to free the 600 hostages - who are mostly visiting relatives - in exchange for the transfer of about 20 of their leaders to other jails.

Earlier reports from Sorocaba said the inmates had released a prison guard who was complaining of chest pains. Meanwhile, outside the prison gates friends and relatives of those inside continue to wait anxiously for further developments.

Riot police are already inside the prison compound and positioned for a possible assault.

A prisoner and two hostages were killed during the rebellion, which began on Sunday when an escape attempt by a small number of inmates went wrong. Women and children who were visiting the prison at the time were taken hostage, alongside 17 prison officials.

The BBC correspondent in Brazil says the agreement reached on Tuesday night between the leaders of the 850 prisoners and the authorities represented a considerable climbdown by the inmates. They had originally asked for an armoured car, guns and ammunition to allow 10 of them to escape.

The hostages include hundreds of women and children

The deal came with conditions inside the jail deteriorating.

The inmates main bargaining counter is the women and children inside the building - but being relatives, their presence in the prison depends to a certain extent, on goodwill.

The prisoners said they would free the hostages on Wednesday morning

The prison authorities are also keen for peaceful solution. Although riot police were summoned to the town on Tuesday, the prospect of launching an attack on the building, with the women and children inside, would have given the state government pause for thought.
 

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