Iranian police call a woman's death in custody 'unfortunate' after she was reportedly arrested for not wearing hijab properly

• Iranian police have said that the death of a young woman in custody was an "unfortunate incident."
• Mahsa Amini, 22, died a few days after being arrested for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly.

Iranian police have said that the death of a young woman in their custody was an "unfortunate incident," Reuters reports.

Mahsa Amini, 22, died on Friday, a few days she was arrested by Iran's Islamic morality police, who strictly enforce certain dress codes for women, for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly.

Many people protested following her death, expressing fury with the Iranian security force's treatment of women.

Tehran police said Amini had been arrested for "justification and education" about the hijab, per BBC News.

Greater Tehran Police Commander Hossein Rahimi said, "this incident was unfortunate for us and we wish to never witness such incidents," in a statement reported by the Fars news agency, according to Reuters.

He denied that Amini had been subject to any mistreatment, after witnesses gave statements saying she had been beaten inside the vehicle that transported her to a detention center.

He decried "cowardly accusations" and said police had "done everything" to keep her alive, per Reuters.

Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for criminal investigations into the death, which Amnesty called "suspicious."