The tribute was held at the lower house of Poland's parliament, the Sejm, as senior officials attended ceremonies to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the imposition of martial law by the country's communist regime.
On December 13, 1981, communist-era strongman Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski imposed martial law to stifle rising opposition, headed by the Solidarity movement.
It was the start of a dark chapter in modern Polish history that saw thousands of opposition activists jailed and dozens killed.
In a ceremony at a Warsaw museum on Tuesday morning, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki paid tribute to communist-era political prisoners and post-World War II resistance fighters who suffered brutal repression at the hands of Poland's former communist authorities.
Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki pays tribute to communist-era political prisoners and post-World War II resistance fighters during a ceremony in Warsaw on Tuesday. Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
He said during the remembrance ceremony that "the memory of the victims of the martial law crackdown ... is important not only for our past, but also the present day."
He added that "more than 100 people were murdered" during the martial law period, while "tens of thousands were detained, interned, beaten and humiliated" at the time.
Mateusz Morawiecki speaks during a remembrance ceremony at the former Rakowiecka Prison in the Polish capital. Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
A religious service was due to be held at the site later in the day to honour the victims of the communist-era crackdown.
In the evening, President Andrzej Duda was scheduled to attend the annual "Light of Freedom" tribute at Piłsudski Square in central Warsaw.
Officials were encouraging people to light candles in the windows of their homes in a symbolic gesture to commemorate the victims of communist oppression.
According to a parliamentary report compiled in the early 1990s, more than 90 people were killed during martial law, which lasted formally until July 22, 1983.
Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
On the night of December 13, 1981, more than 6,500 opposition activists were arrested and interned.
During martial law Poland’s communist regime suspended political and workers’ organisations and introduced a curfew.
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Source: IAR, PAP, ipn.gov.pl, polskieradio.pl