A Swazi Youth activist was arrested by a plain clothes police officer for reprinting an article from City Press, the Times of Swaziland reported on Wednesday.

Sibusiso Mhlanga, a member of the banned Swaziland Youth Congress (Swayoco), was arrested after a plain clothes officer saw him request photocopies of a City Press article in Manzini.

An employee of the copy shop asked Mhlanga for a copy of the article, which he gave her. The officer then demanded to see the copies as Mhlanga was leaving.

Mhlanga was arrested and interrogated at a local police station. His house was raided for the original City Press article which Mhlanga claims he found in a dustbin.

A police spokesperson said he would be charged for violating copyright law.

According to Swaziland Solidarity Network spokesperson Lucky Lukhele, Mhlanga's offence related to the content of what he was copying, and had nothing to do with copyright law.

Mhlanga had been making copies of an article which detailed the arrest and resignation of former Swaziland Justice Minister Ndumiso Mamba after he was found having a sexual relationship with one of King Mswati's wives, Nothando Dube.

The Times of Swaziland report makes no mention of Dube and Mamba. Swazi publications are prohibited from publishing articles on royal scandals.

"Mhlanga was found with copies of the story, which he had made from a regular photocopying machine. He was told by police that the newspaper had been banned from the country and therefore he was not allowed to duplicate it," said Lukhele.

"He was also questioned on where he had gotten the newspaper and why he was making copies of the story."

Lukhele said Mhlanga was questioned about members the Swaziland pro-democracy movement "before eventually letting him go after charging him with the only law that they could charge him with, which is the copyright law".

City Press could not immediately be reached for comment.