The United Nations rights chief had in March urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to block an anti-LGBTQ bill passed this week that prescribes harsh penalties, including death and life imprisonment.
The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni has signed one of the world's toughest anti-LGBTQ laws, including the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality", in defiance of Western condemnations and potential sanctions from aid donors.
The United Nations rights chief had in March urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to block an anti-LGBTQ bill passed this week that prescribes harsh penalties, including death and life imprisonment.
"The passing of this discriminatory bill, probably among the worst of its kind in the world is a deeply troubling development," Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, said in a statement.
However, Clare Byarugaba, a Ugandan rights activist said, "The Ugandan president has today legalised state-sponsored homophobia and transphobia.
"It's a very dark and sad day for the LGBTIQ community, our allies and all of Uganda."
She and other activists vowed a legal challenge to the law, which Museveni was shown signing at his desk with a golden pen in a photo tweeted by Uganda's presidency.
The 78-year-old leader has called homosexuality a "deviation from normal" and urged lawmakers to resist "imperialist" pressure.
Uganda's legislature passed the bill late Tuesday in a protracted plenary session during which last-minute changes were made to the legislation that originally included penalties of up to 10 years in jail for homosexual offenses.
In the version approved by lawmakers, the offense of "aggravated homosexuality" a broad term which is used to describe same sex acts with children or people with disabilities, or serial offenders or people with HIV — now carries the death penalty. Aggravated homosexuality applies in cases of sex relations involving those infected with HIV, as well as minors.
According to the bill, a suspect convicted of "attempted aggravated homosexuality" can be jailed for 14 years, and the offense of "attempted homosexuality" is punishable by up to 10 years.
In Washington, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said if the law were enacted, the U.S. would "have to take a look" at imposing economic sanctions on Uganda. He noted that this would be "really unfortunate" since most U.S. aid is in the form of health assistance, especially anti-AIDS assistance.