Human rights activists held a sanctioned rally calling for police reform on downtown Moscow's Triumfalnaya Square on Saturday.

A police spokesman said some 150 people attended the rally but the opposition's Kasparov.ru website put the figure at some 1,000.

Russian ombudsman Vladimir Lukin was among the protesters. They demanded the dismissal of the Interior Ministry's top officials and the end to persecutions of honest policemen.

The police closely watched the rally covered by some 60 journalists.

The police spokesman told RIA Novosti that no incidents occurred during the rally.

"No one was detained and taken to police stations," he said.

Lev Ponomaryov, head of the For Human Rights organization, said earlier that the meeting was originally due to be held on February 28, but was postponed because of a "misunderstanding" with the Moscow authorities over the venue.

Following a series of brutal crimes by police officers, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has moved to introduce tougher punishment for police found guilty of crimes, submitting a bill to parliament imposing harsher sentences than for civilians convicted of similar offences. The president announced in December extensive Interior Ministry reforms.

The reputation of the Russian police force has declined dramatically in recent years. In just over 18 months, Russian police officers have been convicted or charged with burning a suspect to death, shooting sprees and rape.

MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti)