Protesters from a radical youth organization rallied outside Russia’s lower house of parliament Tuesday, slamming lawmakers for a series of electoral changes that have markedly strengthened the Kremlin’s hold over the country’s political life, The Associated Press reports.

Security agents at the State Duma detained more than a dozen activists from the National Bolshevik Party after they threw leaflets that said “For The Constitution!” and “Freedom or Death!” and tried to enter the building.

A statement from the organization said Russia’s electoral process had become a farce and an imitation of democratic elections. Among the signers were former chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov and former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who is running in the 2008 presidential election.

There was no immediate comment from police on the incident.

The protest was the latest by liberal activists opposed to the Kremlin-endorsed changes that have, among other things, scrapped the direct election of regional leaders and barred voters from casting ballots “against all” candidates. A measure scrapping minimum turnout requirements for elections to be pronounced valid went into effect earlier this month.

The National Bolshevik Party is a small radical leftist group which strives for social justice, but also promotes nationalist ideas.

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