Sold into prostitution aged 9, then saved from the hangman's noose at18, Leila tells her life story for the first time. Her life provides a rare insight into the dark side of Iran, and is a tribute to those fighting for children's rights - and winning results.

Today Leila is 22. She is being taken care of at private day centre for girls in Tehran, the Omid e Mehr, which means Hope. It is a beacon of light on a landscape which offers little compassion to abused and destitute young women.

Leila tells her life story to a psycho-therapist, Marjaneh Halati. Leila has allowed it to be recorded by an Iranian filmmaker, Hamid Rahmanian, who has given the BBC's Assignment programme exclusive access to his work.

The Iranian lawyer, Shadi Sadr, talks about her battle to save Leila's life. She describes what human rights lawyers are up against in a country where stoning and amputation are common and where 177 people were executed last year.



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