A midday Friday deadline has passed for Syria to respond to an Arab League plan to allow international observers into the country or face additional penalties.

There was no comment from Damascus on whether it had accepted the plan. Syria could see more sanctions if it does not cooperate with the Arab League.

The league suspended Syria's membership two weeks ago because of the government's violent crackdown on dissent and President Bashar al-Assad's failure to implement a league plan designed to end the unrest.

League representatives are due to meet again Saturday to discuss the possibility of additional penalties on Damascus.

But Russia warned Friday such sanctions would be counterproductive. Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich told reporters that what Syria needs most is to revive its internal political dialogue.

The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have been killed since March in connection to Syria's anti-government protests.

On Friday, the U.N. Committee against Torture said it had received reports of widespread abuses in Syria, including the torture of children detained by security forces.

Syria has blamed much of the violence on foreign-backed terrorists and religious extremists.

On Thursday, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said new violence claimed at least 47 lives. It said most of the deaths occurred in the flashpoint province of Homs, and that the victims included members of Syria's security forces, army deserters and civilians.