A group of South African human rights organisations are urgently attempting to halt the deportation of Dr Paul Nsubuga Semugoma, a Ugandan medical doctor and human rights activist, fearing that he will be at risk if he is sent home.

He is "wanted" in Uganda for his activism around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in that country. He was detained in South Africa on Monday by immigration officials.

His work is in direct opposition to Uganda’s controversial Anti-homosexuality Bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and will see homosexuals jailed for life.

Semugoma has been in the forefront with the Ugandan Parliament in fighting the Anti-homosexuality Bill, where he has presented how the bill is not only a human rights infringement, but also a health access dilemma to the homosexual community.

Semugoma has been under arrest for the past 48 hours and is facing the threat of deportation to his country of birth. A group of South African human rights organizations have now fiercely stood-up against this move, and have urgently attempted to halt the deportation.

The rights group will seek Semugoma's release after immigration officials refused to let him go on Tuesday, despite a court order to do so.

"The human rights situation in Uganda has deteriorated, and the LGBT community is particularly vulnerable at this time," the group said in a statement.

Semugoma has volunteered at the Johannesburg-based HIV-focused Anova Health Institute for three years.