Do whistle-blowers deserve to be prosecuted or praised?

Whistle-blowers are a person who informs on a person or a organization engaged in an illicit action.
I believe that whistle-blowers should not be prosecuted for their information on people and company's because they may have big information on corruption; which can help the public know what they are doing and put a stop to these acts.

the biggest Whistle-blower that everyone knows is Edward Snowden; he exposed NSA by leaking information and documents about how they are spying on every american citizen and exposed how they are spying on different country's like China; Most people consider him as a traitor but some think he is a hero to the United States. 

So my question is should we really prosecute whistle-blowers who exposes company's and government agencies for their corrupt acts and secrets? In the crucible because when John proctor is trying to expose Abigail and the girl for their false statements about people who have been accused of witchcraft; When he does try to explain the wrong that the girls have done the jury are convince that he is working for the devil instead of seeing him as a hero or a person who is trying to help.

http://thecontributor.com/humor/five-cartoons-about-bradley-manning-and-war-whistleblowers

This political cartoon shows how the United States treats Whistleblowers and tell the American Ctizens how they betrayed the state; instead of showing the good side of Edward Snowden or other Whistleblowers like him. This topic or choice mostly depends on what the regular citizen believe they can believe that people who expose or steal government secrets are traitor or that they are heroes to the United States.