Twenty-two Indian diamond traders who have been imprisoned in Shenzhen, China, for over a year on charges of diamond smuggling had a hearing last week and are awaiting sentencing, which the Shenzhen court is expect to hand down in the next few week, The Hindu reports.

The traders face fines that could run to millions of dollars, and the possibility of additional prison time.

The diamond dealers were arrested on January 8, 2010, following a raid by customs authorities and have been held since then while Chinese authorities investigated the case and filed charges. According to The Hindu, the traders' families were kept in the dark about the status of the case and criticized the slow pace at which the proceedings advanced.

However, after Indian government officials interceded, family members were allowed to attend last week's hearing, and one expressed hope that the sentences would be lighter than expected.