South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir yesterday appointed new members to the Media Authority, a government body established to hear defamation and other cases against media workers.

Kiir also named members to South Sudan’s Broadcasting Corporation. The new members include representatives who have worked in private and public media houses, National Security Services, Office of the President, Ministry of Information, and other government ministries.

The Media Authority was established by the Media Authority act, which defines defamation as a criminal offense. Recently, Minister of Information Michael Makuei Lueth indicated that the government may begin to make use of this act: “Up to now we have not taken any journalist to the court but we will do so,” he told a panel during a UN-sponsored press freedom event.

South Sudan's president also made a decree removing Khamis Abdallah Latif from his position as SSTV Director General. Khamis defected in January to the SPLM-In Opposition following a power struggle with Minister Makuei, who the former director general called "a tribal and racist man."

In another decree, Kiir relieved Simon Nyang Anei from his position as the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment, to be replaced by Biel Jok, who was deputy chairperson of South Sudan’s Human Rights Commission.

Below are the new members of the Media Authority:

-Kiir Chol Deng, chairperson

-Joseph Abuk, former presenter, Traditional program SSTV, vice chairperson

-Awak Bior Ajang, nominee of the media sector, member

-Atong Majok Kur, advocate, member

-Adelmajid Machar, working with the ministry of cabinet affairs, member

-Manyang Deng Dau, businessman, member

-Teresa Modesto, working with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, member

- Joseph Yahya Abui, Radio and Television, Central Equatoria State, member

- Lt. Majok Ayii Muorwel, National Security Service, member

Below are the new members of the Broadcasting Corporation:

-Prof. William Haizaza, chairperson

-Jonathon Mayen Nguen, from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, vice chairperson

-Brig. General Ramadan Shadar, from National Security Service, member

-Dr. Victoria Anaib SSTV's 'Ask the Doctor' program presenter, member

-Mrs. Agatha David from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, member

-Michael Thon Mangok, former presenter Radio Bakhita, member

-Teresa Siricio, former staff of Radio Juba, member

-Chathol Bol Nul, Office of the President, member

-Derek Alfred, former Minister of Information and Telecommunication, Western Bahr al Ghazal State, member