The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on Uganda's president not to sign a harsh anti-gay draft law that sailed through parliament last week.
It said President Yoweri Museveni would reinforce stigma and prejudice if he signed the bill into law.
Uganda's parliament adopted the bill on December 20.
It provides for repeat offenders to be jailed for life.
Despite an international outcry, local politicians have hailed it as a victory against "evil".
The politician behind the bill, David Bahati, said a death penalty clause was dropped from the final version.
"The government has a legal obligation to prevent discrimination and cannot withhold basic rights from certain individuals because the majority disapproves of them," said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
She called on Museveni "to protect human rights and to refrain from signing this bill into law".
