Spanish court denies Moroccan asylum claim, cites poverty not valid reason

Spain's National Court has ruled that poverty in Morocco does not qualify as grounds for asylum, rejecting an appeal from a Moroccan man who entered Ceuta by swimming during the May 2021 migration crisis.

The court stated that «alleged poverty or labor and economic needs» are insufficient to constitute a social group meriting asylum protection, according to Spanish media outlet rtvce. It dismissed the appellant's claim of «terror of dying from not being able to feed himself» as «forced».

In its verdict, the court emphasized that «the need to seek a better life» falls outside the scope of both the Geneva Convention and Spanish asylum law. It also ruled out subsidiary protection, finding no evidence of «serious armed conflict, ethnic or religious» in Morocco.

This decision comes as Ceuta faces a surge in asylum requests. About 1,000 Moroccans have sought asylum in the Spanish enclave so far in 2024, exceeding the 883 applications received in the previous two years combined.

The Spanish government rejects over 90% of these applications. However, asylum seekers can move freely within Spain while their cases are processed.

The ruling aligns with Spain's broader approach to limit asylum grants, especially to citizens from countries not considered in open conflict. Human rights groups have criticized this stance, arguing that extreme poverty should factor into asylum evaluations.