The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Thursday summoned a second candidate of the judicial examination on accusations of defamation and libel.

Deputy prosecutor Say Nora summoned Seur Srey Moa, who in November joined the examination to select the 10th generation of judicial students.

Srey Moa is the second candidate to be brought before the court and accused of defamation. On February 14, Kong Bunrith was summoned after he posted a video on social media claiming irregularities and corruption involving the examination.

Bunrith was questioned for nearly 10 hours and his mobile phone and computer were seized.

Srey Moa, who appeared in court on Thursday without legal representation, wrote on Facebook that she was not afraid of the case against her because she had not done anything illegal.

She said she just submitted a petition asking for transparency in the evaluation of the examination.

“I would like to ask Samdech Techo, the prime minister of Cambodia, and Samdech Bun Rany Hun Sen to kindly intervene in this case and address the board of directors. All I wanted was for the process to be transparent,” she said.

She hoped that the public will also follow the case and demand transparency in the examination process to select the judicial students. This, she said, would help improve the country’s judiciary.

Neither Phnom Penh Municipal Court deputy prosecutor Say Nora nor Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesperson Kuch Kimlong could be reached for comment on Thursday.

Khmer Rise Party president and member of the Supreme Council for Consultation Sok Sovann Vathana Sabung told The Post on Thursday that the court has abused its authority to pressure innocent people.

Bunrith and Srey Moa should have been praised for their actions not accused of defamation.

“The court seems to have misused its authority to threaten these people. It is abusing its power to gain something, perhaps to cover-up something.

“We know that the judiciary has relations with very powerful people. We all know how the court works in our country. I will follow this case because it is close to my heart,” he said.