As we see, when they sentenced Pollard to "life" they meant it.
When they sentenced Katsav to 7 years , they meant it.
These sentences are unfair and obviously l'maaleh/l'matah min hateva.
Is it really possible that there be no appeal, no judicial review, no mercy, no presidential pardon, and that in the year 2039 we could see a 79 year old Shalom Rubashkin totter out of jail i.e. that 27 years in jail means 27 years?