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(CNN Spanish) - Two private security guards at a supermarket in Sao Paulo are under investigation for allegedly torturing a 17-year-old boy who allegedly tried to steal a chocolate, the Sao Paulo Civil Police reported.
According to state civil police, when security guards discovered that a young man intended to take the chocolate without paying for it, he was arrested and taken to a room in the back of the supermarket. According to the report of the state news service, Agencia Brasil, the authorities say that the security guards undressed and gagged him, tied his hands and proceeded to hit him with an electric cable for 40 minutes.
This Monday the young man gave his testimony to the authorities. He explained that, although the incident occurred in August, he did not report the security guards for fear of his life. The young man says one of them threatened him to death if he told what had happened.
Warning: disturbing image
The case is being investigated by the police of Vila Joaniza in Sao Paulo and is assisted by the State Council for Human Rights. Ariel de Castro Alves of the council for human rights said he is providing assistance to the adolescent and assessing if he needs psychological support.
The state agency Agencia Brasil reported Tuesday that the supermarket line involved in the incident "repudiated the attitude" of the security guards and said it will collaborate with the investigation of the authorities.
In Brazil it is considered torture when a person is subject to violence and emotional physical suffering. Under Brazilian law, torture is a hate crime and is penalized with two to eight years in jail.
Sao Paulo
