BANJUL (Reuters) - Gambian President Yahya Jammeh dropped charges against three opposition leaders on Monday under a deal brokered by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to ensure peaceful presidential elections this year.
After meeting with Obasanjo and representatives of five opposition parties, Jammeh announced the authorities were ending prosecutions against the three men. They were charged in November with acts including criticising the tiny West African country's president.
Opponents have accused Jammeh of carrying out a purge ahead of the polls -- only the third presidential elections since he seized power as a young lieutenant in a bloodless 1984 coup. The elections are expected in October although no date has been set.
"To show you my commitment to peace and for all Gambians to work hand in hand for development, the charges against the three key opposition leaders will be dropped immediately," Jammeh announced after the meeting.
Omar Jallow and Halifa Sallah, leading members of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) which groups the five main opposition parties, were arrested in November and charged with sedition after accusing Jammeh's government of graft.
Another senior NADD member, Hamat Bah, was charged with retaining unauthorised official documents.
All three were released from detention in December, but had still faced trial for the charges against them.
The parties to Monday's talks signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure peaceful elections.
Obasanjo, who relinquished the presidency of the African Union last month to Congo Republic President Denis Sassou Nguesso, urged the parties to implement the deal.
"It is one thing to sign the document, but another thing altogether to uphold it," he said. Gambia's opposition had asked him to intercede to help its accused leaders.
Jammeh, a former wrestler with a passion for exotic birds, won elections in 1996 which foreign observers and political opponents said were unfair.
He opened his campaign for the 2001 presidential polls by saying he had already won and threatening to shoot anyone who disrupted polling.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
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