Gambia court frees prominent lawyer, 18 others jailed for protest

BANJUL (Reuters) - A Gambian court freed a prominent lawyer and 18 supporters on bail on Monday pending an appeal of their jail sentence for "unlawful assembly", in a sign that President Yahya Jammeh's shock election defeat last week will end years of repression. A Reuters witness was present for the decision to release Ousainou Darboe along with other senior members of the United Democratic Party (UDP), who had been jailed for three years for taking part in a small protest near the capital Banjul. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Toby Chopra)