Myanmar's military junta on Monday said it had executed four democracy activists accused of helping to carry out "terror acts" in the Southeast Asian nation's first executions in decades, sparking widespread condemnation, Reuters reported.

Sentenced to death in closed-door trials in January and April, the four men had been accused of helping militias to fight the army that seized power in a coup last year and unleashed a bloody crackdown on its opponents.

Myanmar's National Unity Government, a shadow administration outlawed by the ruling military junta, condemned the executions and called for international action against Myanmar's junta.

Only one relative was allowed to speak to the detainees via the Zoom online platform.