Riot In Brazilian Prison Leaves 50 Inmates Dead

A riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Centre in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has left 50 inmates dead. The riots at the overcrowded prison, which holds an estimated 600 inmates began on Sunday and some of the prison guards were held hostage.

Reports say a disagreement between rival gangs in the prison sparked the riots on Sunday as one faction threw six headless bodies over the fence of the prison.

All 12 prison guards taken hostage have now been released unharmed but the incident will again spotlight the problem of overcrowding and violence in many of Brazil’s prisons.

The prison’s capacity stands at 454 but many inmates are usually transferred to the Amazonas from the inner cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janiero.