Armed inmates held three wardens and approximately 100 civilians hostage at a prison in Brazil after hundreds of rioting prisoners took over the facility on Sunday afternoon, demanding better conditions.

Twenty-seven civilians and one of the wardens have reportedly been released on Monday following negotiations with authorities.

Reports are that state media have noted that the inmates are armed with pistols at the facility near the coastal city of Aracaju.

The 470 inmates in the penitentiary are demanding that there be an end to acts of torture they claim regularly occur at the facility. The Associated Press also reported that the inmates are demanding better treatment of female visitors.

The Agence France-Presse reported that the prisoners at the Advogado Jacinto Filho de Arcaju prison in Sergipe state have submitted a list of guards accused of being abusive. Captain Marcos Carvalho, an officer with the Sergipe military police, is serving as a negotiator. He told the media that authorities had rejected the prisoners' demands and the negotiations were at an impasse.

Police said electricity to the prison was shut off late Sunday, but that it was restored about three hours later as negotiations began.]

Negotiations continue.