morning, and be sure to watch authors week, featuring authors across the political spectrum, all this week, each morning on c-span's washington journal. monday, 2020 democratic candidate tom steyer will speak at a politics and eggs breakfast at the new england council and the institute of politics in manchester, new hampshire. watch live at 8:30 a.m. eastern on c-span2, online at c-span.org, or listen live on the free c-span radio app. >> secretary of state mike pompeo hosted a state at the state department on human rights. he announced new sanctions and among the killing of peaceful protesters.

>> good morning, everyone. oh, isn't that nice? thanks. good morning back. i morgan. thank you for everyone coming to this event to focus on a very serious subject, human rights in iran. i was the first to recognize some amazing attendees we have here today. --have over 50 matter members of the core. thank you for coming. i'm very glad to see we also have many, as well and this is for you, as well. remarks from mike pompeo, followed by a discussion of the days events. group director for the rn mike bell, and assistant secretary for democracy, human rights, rubber distro.

lesson, we heard about how we can continue to stand with the iranian people by sharing their stories, supporting their voices, and champing ning their rights. -- championing their rights. we will have an opportunity to hear from three survivors who have first-hand experience of the regime's open russian. i would like to welcome robert distro. he previously served a sixth -- six year term on the u.s. commission of civil rights. he has worked on a dialogue in the art states and middle east. he has a passion for the people of iran and the people of the united states. my friend. [applause] >> good morning, everybody.

and on behalf of everybody in the department of state and the bureau of democracy, human rights, and labor, i would like to welcome you this morning and thank you for your participation. i'm heartened by the presence of so many individuals today who are concerned about reclaiming the broken promises about human rights in iran. i also yearn for the day where those who wanted to be with us here today will be free to join us in an extended conversation about the promises that date back more than two per five millennia, the time of cyrus the great, and his historic decrease that were there precursors of modern-day conceptions of human rights. secretary pompeo has been clear that our priority should be to extend with the iranian people and their demands for a government that represents their interests and respects their rights.

the secretary had barely been in his job for a month when he delivered a speech after the deal, a newer rams strategy. that was may, 2018. he followed that up with a speech appointing iranian voices in 2018. he spent countless hours meeting with members, as well as work tirelessly to bring home the many americans who were detained unjustly in iran, including professor wayne, who just came home. ladies and gentlemen, it's my poor village to introduce -- my privilege to introduce secretary michael pompeo. [applause] >> thank you. good morning. thank you all.

thank you. good morning, everyone. how are you doing today? good? an important day at the state department and a it appreciate the kind introduction. i'm delighted to welcome you here to the united states department of the united states. i am especially happy to host our friends from the iranian diaspora. your success is living proof of what the are any people can do when their full potential is unleashed. of course, i want to give a special welcome to the audience who suffered and survived regime persecution. thank you for joining me here today. it's humbling and an honor to see you all here. i love the diversity of the audience. members of congress, folks from all across the non-governmental organization committee, who are working on important issues related to this issue.

we've got people all across the community. so many of our team members, folks on the diplomatic corps, thank you for being here. i think the diverse group and the size and the scale of the audience group tells us and not -- a lot about supporting the group and iranian dreams. when we do this, we will be upholding america's legacy as the grace champion of liberty, as we have been since our founding. telling the iranian people they have friends across the world and in america, seeking justice for wrongs that have been done to them. indeed, it is those very injustices the regime commits against its own people that brings us together today. i want to spend a few minutes talking to you about it. i have a message for the leaders of the regime. if you stick to respect from your people and the world, if

you seek stability and prosperity or a once great nation, you must respect the commitments that you've made. you must respect human rights. gathering,ium, this could not come at a more timely moment. the protester started and accelerated in november, clearly signaled the iranian people had enough. they are fed up with regimes economic failures, and they are fed up with the regime that denies them basic fundamental human dignity that comes from each of us, the nature of our humanness. it's not an age group or class, lifting their voices. it's female students in tehran, teachers in marsh it, younger men in make sure. one of those young men was elected as an electrical

engineer who looked singing the elvis star -- song, can't help falling in love with you. he was sick with criminal and corrupt iranian leadership. last month, he joined the streets in protest. his mother went to the protester with them. a promised they would hold hands stay together. but as you watched the video, there is chaos. when the security started attacking the crowd, they became separated. and then he experienced every pain's worst nightmare. chief -- she shall follow protesters holding her son's body. he had been shot in the head. today, he grieves, with so many other parents, so many other amazing people across rn. but she also says that now, these ideals are mine. i want to witness and celebrate

the freedom of the people over rn. today, many are angry at the feeling that's been building for a long time. the ayatollah and the thugs to plug the root of their 40's ago are going to have to change. they imposed the islamic republic revolution on the entrepreneurial and amazing iranian people. to this day, the regime is desperate to control ideas and control speech, and indeed, to control life itself. just a few examples from the last year. three women handed out flowers on the metro on international will -- international women's day in march. there were sentenced between 16-23 years in prison for propaganda and moral corruption.

later, they banned religious leaders from working at childcare centers with muslim children. the community protect journalists voted justice last week that there are 11 journals currently present in iraq. military isligence on a campaign of other family members. examples are of but a glimpse, a glimpse into 40 years of regime disrespect for his people, disrespect of stabilizing the order, disrespect that it weakens the economy and makes the price and i of freedom loving people across the world. two, there's a towering hypocrisy in this mistreatment. so many of the human rights violations defies own domestic

loss. four years ago this month, the regime adopted the current constitution, still in effect. article nine says no individual or group or authority has the right to infringe in the stars away upon the military independence or the territorial integrity of rn. saying,rotesters are this is precisely what iran has done to them. what enormous hypocrisy. article 14 of the constitution says the country and all muslims are duty-bound to treat muslims in conforming with their norms. jews and chrisman's and stroh restaurants are denied their full freedoms. away,hristmas just a week i can't help of think of victor ross.er off -- betten

he and his wife and son are out on bail, appealing prison sentences. us glad his daughter is with here today, to bring a thank you for being with us. [applause] >> that same constitution says of all acne group or tribe, enjoy equal rights. but the machine treats so many ethnic minorities as second or third class citizens. article 27 of the constitution allows for public gatherings and marches. but when citizens speak up, the regime's hammer comes down. think of the thousands. you know them. think of the thousands of iranians executed in prison following protest in 1998.

the students slaughtered in 1999, and i think of the protest into thousand nine, the cries of where is my vote? this protesters were met with more blood pressure and sentences to serve to be out in evans prison. it's the same story today. the regime killed hundreds of protesters since mid-november, possibly more than a thousand. the regime cut off the internet, basic communication tool, to try and stop the world, to see the horrors taking place inside of their country. but does thise, regime think this is the path that leads to prosperity and strength? i think not. i think they know differently. i asked the same question in its obligations and commitments. a founding member of the international labor organization, but the regime

steals money, drains their pensions. this money is taken from the citizens for their use to take care of their families and turns it into shell casing in the sand in yemen. labor organizers are rounded up in prisons and tortured. the universal declaration of human rights states that no one should be subject to torture or xterra. but think of the highs of the sunnis and the minorities are nonreligious persons of execution for their faith and their basic belief system. iran is part of the international committee on the center of political light -- political rights. sounds almost ironic to say it. yet iran permits use of the death penalty for girls starting

age nine and boys of age 13. two 17 boys were secretly executed just this past year. and we've see protesters gun down at random in the street in the last 30 days. we grieve to see a callous and corrupt iranian nation go further into a bed of poverty because of unjust rulers. but, as difficult as the situation is as i have just recounted, and i have only scratched the surface the iranian people, have a steadfast friend they are good people and have spirit the friend is the north star for those oppressed in their ideals the united states will stand and has stood under president trump with the

iranian people. [applause] >> i will public support, our moral support is important. a call for the real accountability. in 2009, whente the opportunity arose, and americans did not to that. it's not political but the best and what we want for the iranian people. look, the appeasement of the regime simply will not work . we've done something completely different asking the iranian people to send evidence of regime brutality. we are bringing to light what they are keeping in the dark so far, we have c receive more than

36000 pieces of information and we are working each and every one of them. we've heard and seen the stories and see their faces of the victims that will not be forgotten and the perpetrators will be pursued. iran's human rights violations are worse than unacceptable. they're evil and they're wrong because they fundamentally repress the entrepreneurship and spirit of one of the world's great peoples so today we call on the iranian regime to treat your people with basic dignity to which every member of the family of mankind is entitled . uphold your commitments under your own constitution and act like normal country. your people's back their potential. we urge this out of true

principle, but also as a message of common sense to the regime . true prosperity will only come to iran when you cease terrorizing your people and i -- and jailing them. indeed, i would urge the regime to follow the words of the persian poet, award who lays -- poet, a lord who lays waste will only see the prosperity for his domain. today, i'm announcing several new actions in support of the iranian people. first, i have re-designated as iran a country of particular concern the world should know one of the worst violators of basic fundamental religious freedoms today the treasury will sanction to iranians. iran is one of the worst violators of fundamental freedoms. second, today, the treasury will

sanction two iranian judges. [applause] act was toe highness sentence a human rights lawyer and woman's right defender to 33 years in prison to 148 lashings. citizen, 10erican years in prison on fall starches of a spinners. but he shouldwon, have never been sentenced or jailed in the first place. so, he has sent hundreds of political prisoners. he's the go to guy. journalists, human rights activists to prison or worse, to death. he's a tool of the regime's oppression, not an impartial friend to justice. today, he is sanctioned by the

united states of america. [applause] third, under the immigration and nationality act, we are restricting visas for current or former officials responsible for or complicit in the abuse, detention, or killing of peaceful protesters, or inhibiting rights to freedom of assembly. it will also restrict visas for family members, the materials provided to us by citizens across iran will be invariable -- invaluable to using this authority to hold accountable those who are denying freedom and justice for the people of iran. [applause] thugs killing people's children will not be allowed to send their own children to study in the united states of america. [cheers and applause] these are

serious measures and thoughtful measures that took us a little bit of time to get in place. but if the regime to abide by its commitment in the eyes of the world and very importantly can enjoy sustained peace for the majority, as well. i think leaders know that the people are demanding it. the path of prosperity for each country begins at home and the leaders of sovereign nations put the needs of the citizens first, the collective will be brighter. [applause] our people will be happier. basic freedoms will be accepted.

just think of what could happen between our two countries. the president talks about this often. one day, the locks on the doors and washington could be cut off. one day, iran air could fly direct to los angeles or to houston. everyone should suffer lax. [laughter] day, our leaders could receive one another in goodwill and not as adversaries. be, a moment that would when we can reach those times. i pray and i hope that this day comes soon. arealong with you all, working to make this happen and i hope the regime to permit this -- will soon see its path clear to permitting this to happen. but no matter what, i tell the irony people what i have said for many months and will continue to say as long as it is required to be said.

america hears you. america supports you. america stands with you. we just hope for your sake, for the sake of freedom, for the sake of basic human dignity, for the sake of respect, thank you all for being here today. may god bless the people of iran and may god bless the people of the united states of america. thank you. [applause] [inaudible] >> tonight on kimye day, wall street -- on q&a, wall street trader on his book "dignity",

about the plight of those living on the margins of society in america. >> it was empty because all the semi's were gone. he was in the industry part of hunts point. and immediately, her intelligence came right through and we spoke for about an hour, half an hour or so. she told me her life, just, you know, almost a cliche of everything wrong that could happen to somebody. her whatually, i asked i asked everybody a photograph, which is, what's one sentence? how can i describe the? she shot back, it's what i am, a prostitute, a mother and child of god. >> tonight at 8:00 a.m. eastern on c-span's given day. >> government officials and health care professionals

testified on the opioid epidemic. officials with the white house and health and human services all spoke about what they're doing, along with state and local partners to tackle the crisis. >> good morning, everyone. i would like to welcome you to today's judiciary. on encryption -- excuse me that's not the right >> good morning. ahead and start with opening statements from the ranking member and myself and i believe senator durbin has opening remarks and will die then to eyewitness testimony as well. since 1999 more than 700,000 people have