One of Norway’s most prominent politicians has been convicted of abusing his power to force three young men seeking asylum in the country to have sex with him.

Svein Ludvigsen, a former fisheries minister and a regional governor, was sentenced to five years in prison for exploiting the men’s vulnerability and compelling them to have sex.

Over the course of the trial, the court heard testimony that Mr. Ludvigsen, 72, gave the men the false impression that as governor of the district of Troms he had the power to decide people’s asylum status.

The court reached its decision on Wednesday and announced it on Thursday.

The abuse of the three men took place between 2011 and 2017. One of them said he was 17 when he first met Mr. Ludvigsen. Another said he had an intellectual impairment.