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- At least several dozen LGTBI people arrived in Ceuta during the massive entry on July 30 and 31, according to activist Tima Agueddour.
- They flee from Morocco, where same-sex relationships are punished with between six months and three years in prison.
- Almost three months later, they are still waiting for international protection and report assaults both outside and inside the centers.
The LGTBI migrants in Ceuta have been waiting for a response for almost three months. They entered the autonomous city at the end of July fleeing persecution in Morocco, and now they are demanding international protection. This is reported in an article by EFE published on October 22, 2026 with testimonies from Fariha, Ahmed, and Suleiman.
How many LGTBI people arrived in Ceuta?
There is no official figure, but Moroccan trans activist Tima Agueddour estimates that there are “at least several dozen”. They arrived during the massive entry on July 30 and 31, when more than 80,000 people entered irregularly into Ceuta and 141 died.
The NGO Border Resistance explains that it is “very difficult to count the people from the community” and that this record must be made by the authorities. Agueddour, who obtained international protection in Spain three years ago, summarizes it this way: “They have come to save their lives.”
The story of Fariha
Fariha is a 29-year-old trans woman born in Tangier who swam across on July 30 with an injured hand. Her father had beaten her and she had received 25 stitches. “I woke up and saw on social media that many people were going to Ceuta. So I grabbed my clothes and left,” she recounts.
She spent eleven days hiding in the woods on the outskirts of the city. Now she lives in a shelter, but describes a difficult environment: “There is a lot of violence and abuse from both sides.” Of the violence outside the center, she says it is “tremendous.”
Fariha asks for urgency because “everything gets worse day by day, it is unlivable to continue in this situation.” She wants to move to the peninsula and, according to EFE, she claims that “she loves Spain” and wants to “collaborate with Spanish society.” Her testimony leaves a phrase that summarizes what is at stake: “If I go back to Morocco, they will kill me, but if they don’t give me asylum, I will kill myself.”
Ahmed and Suleiman: from the street to a room
Ahmed and Suleiman are a gay couple who swam into Ceuta on July 26, days before the massive entry, after being expelled from their home. Ahmed describes his life in his hometown as a “hell.”
Once in Ceuta, the couple reports that they suffered assaults from other migrants, who chased them shouting “here are the faggots,” and also from residents of the city. They slept on the street until an association offered them a place: “We have been able to have a room to sleep and shower.” Now they want to settle in a safe place in Europe and “go out calmly on the street again.”
Why do they flee from Morocco?
Because the Moroccan Penal Code punishes “unnatural acts with persons of the same sex” with between six months and three years in prison. “You can end up in jail for loving someone,” Agueddour recalls.
Police sources have also detected an increase in asylum requests due to sexual orientation in Ceuta. For her part, the Minister of Youth and Childhood, Sira Rego, met with UNHCR to address the situation in the city.
You may be interested: Asylum for sexual orientation in Ceuta: requests are increasing · LGTBIQ+ people condemned in Morocco after seeking help
Frequently asked questions
When did LGTBI people arrive in Ceuta?
Most arrived during the massive entry on July 30 and 31, 2026; some, like Ahmed and Suleiman, days before.
What do they ask for?
International protection (asylum) and speed in processing.
What penalty does Morocco foresee for same-sex relationships?
Between six months and three years in prison.
How many are there?
There is no official figure; activist Tima Agueddour speaks of “at least several dozen.”
If you are going through a difficult time, ask for support: you do not have to face it alone. In Spain, you can call 024, the suicide prevention hotline, free and available 24 hours a day.
