Protests have been staged in towns and cities across Syria, including the capital Damascus, a day after the government announced limited concessions.
Unconfirmed reports said a number of people had been killed in at least three separate protests.
Fresh gunfire was also heard in the city of Deraa, which has become the centre of a serious challenge to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has been in power for 11 years.
Amnesty International fears 55 people have died there in the past week.
As well as protests in Damascus, there has been a march in Hama, a northern city where in 1982 the forces of Assad's father put down an armed uprising by the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
The marchers who took to the streets in Deraa on Friday had attended funerals for some of the 25 protesters killed on Wednesday.
Some of the protesters started a fire under a bronze statue of Mr Assad's father, the late President Hafez al-Assad, witnesses reported.
Another group of protesters trying to reach Deraa were killed in the nearby village of Salamen when security forces opened fire.
Government officials have accused armed opponents of taking part in demonstrations and have justified the use of force.
Earlier this week, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria ordered the release of all people detained during the unrest.
He has also announced limited changes, including media freedoms and allowing political opposition.
Violence must stop says McCully and Rudd
The New Zealand Foreign Minister says violence against peaceful protestors in Syria must stop.
Murray McCully has been meeting with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd and agrees with Mr Rudd's condemnation of the regime's response to the protests.
Mr Rudd, who is in Christchurch for bi-lateral talks and to see the earthquake damage, says Syria has been under military rule since 1963.
"It is time to bring about normal, political engagement in Syria whereby the people have as much right as anyone else to freedom of political expression and we call upon the Syrian regime to employ peaceful means in their response to peaceful protest."
