SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - In a fresh wave of violence inside Brazil's prisons, police and officers put down at least eight rebellions over the weekend, freeing 19 hostages.

One inmate was killed and more than 20 officers and prisoners were injured, authorities and Brazilian media said.

Three more riots continued Sunday in lockups where inmates were holding at least four hostages, according to the website of Folha de S Paulo, Brazil's largest newspaper.

An officer was freed Sunday in a Sao Paulo state prison hundreds of kilometers from the city, but three riots were under way in lockups in Espiritu Santo state, just north of Rio de Janeiro.

Sao Paulo's state government issued a statement saying that the rebellions were over and that 19 people taken hostage had been freed, but the statement addressed only three of the uprisings and did not provide more details.

Prison officials did not immediately return telephone messages seeking comment.