Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has called on the United Nations to establish special “administrative zones” in the Middle East, so Christian asylum seekers can return to the region in safety.

The Fidesz politician was speaking to the 34th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), to which Hungary was elected for a 2017-19 term in November 2016.

“Terrible crimes are committed against Christian communities in many places around the world. Tens and hundreds of thousands of people are being driven from their homes, and there are Christian communities that have been totally eradicated,” he said.

“For some reason the world, and especially the Western world, approaches the issue of anti-Christian sentiment in a very hypocritical way … as if a hatred of Christians was the mildest form of negative discrimination.

“We regard this as totally unacceptable. If we look at the related statements by international organisations, they hardly include the fact that the protection of Christian communities must be maintained. … This approach must be changed. The protection of Christian communities throughout the world must be taken seriously,” he said.

“Accordingly, Hungary is proposing two things: firstly, the International Criminal Court (ICC) must be called upon to not leave unpunished any crime that is committed anywhere in the world against Christians. We must put an end to the application of double standards. Secondly, international communities must assure the right of Middle Eastern Christian communities to return to their homes following the end of the conflict from which they have fled once the area is fully liberated.

“Unfortunately, in our experience Christian communities that have been driven from their homes are unable to return home and are often not allowed to return for security reasons, not even if their home region has been fully liberated. For this reason, we propose that administrative zones are established in these regions, where these communities are guaranteed freedom and security.

“The most rational solution would be if these zones were protected by a heavy UN presence.”

Hungary has made the protection of Christians one of its top priorities during its time on the Human Rights Council, with Szijjártó arguing in November 2016 that “anti-Christianity [has become] the last acceptable form of discrimination in the world”.

Hungary to become hub of support for organizations fighting the persecution of Christianshttps://t.co/W0Csstkr2D pic.twitter.com/deRP2HSSeE — About Hungary (@abouthungary) January 27, 2017

Szijjártó has complained of his struggle to persuade other European leaders to follow Hungary’s lead, describing how, “For instance, at meetings of the European Union’s foreign ministers, it is very frustrating that when I call for the protection of Christians in the Middle East I am clumsily prompted to speak about the protection of all religious minorities, not just Christians.

“If I want to talk about Christian communities then I will speak about them, because that is the duty of a Christian country and a Christian Europe. We must not force upon ourselves some kind of false political correctness or hypocrisy.”

Reports indicate half a billion Christians around the world are unable to profess their belief freely, with approximately 90,000 killed for their faith in 2016 alone.