Report: 70% of Moroccan migrants who entered Ceuta in July cite sexual orientation in asylum claims

Around 70% of Moroccan migrants who entered Ceuta in late July have cited their sexual orientation in asylum applications in Spain, claiming they face persecution in Morocco, Spanish newspaper ABC reported, citing police sources.

According to the report, Spain’s National Police have detected a shift in the grounds cited in asylum claims and suspect it may be linked to advice migrants have received on how to remain in Spain. Only five applications have reportedly been accepted on these grounds.

ABC reported that around 10,000 migrants who entered Ceuta on July 30 and 31 remain in the Spanish-administered enclave. Some are reportedly staying in apartments or hiding in rocky areas to avoid identification and possible deportation.

Police suspect that some migrants are avoiding identification because they have pending legal cases and fear being deported from the city, the newspaper reported.

The report stressed that declaring oneself gay does not automatically qualify an applicant for asylum in Spain. Authorities must assess whether each person faces a well-founded risk of persecution if returned to Morocco.

Applicants do not need to have already suffered an attack or been arrested, but they must provide sufficient grounds to establish the risk they could face, according to ABC.

The asylum process includes detailed interviews and questionnaires, some reportedly extending to 15 pages. Spain’s Asylum and Refugee Office examines each application individually, considering the applicant’s account, personal circumstances, any reported threats or attacks, supporting documents and information about conditions in the country of origin.

The newspaper also noted that there is no single physical test for establishing sexual orientation. Spanish authorities cannot require applicants to provide intimate evidence or base decisions on stereotypes when assessing asylum claims.