Story highlights The priest is now back at the Vatican

New Vatican law orders 12 years in prison for possession of child pornography

(CNN) A Vatican diplomat in Washington has been recalled to Rome after the US State Department notified the Holy See of "a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images."

The priest, a diplomatic officer representing Pope Francis at the Holy See Embassy in Washington, has not been named. A Vatican statement says it was notified of the US investigation on August 21.

The priest currently is in Vatican City. Like most diplomats in foreign countries, he has diplomatic immunity from prosecution in the United States.

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The Vatican declined to waive diplomatic immunity for its diplomat, a State Department official told CNN.

According to the official, the United States formally requested the waiver.

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