The rally, starting at Town Hall in Sydney at 1pm, is part of a series of global protests being held in Spain, the US, Canada, and a number of Latin American countries in support of free speech, a free press and freedom of information.

According to a statement from the Pirate Party on the reason for the rally, the principle that government whistleblowers were a part of a healthy democracy and must be protected from reprisal had been abandoned.

“Since then, we have seen an abandonment of these principles, and a hysterical response from both the Australian and US governments regarding WikiLeaks,” the statement reads.

“The Pirate Party maintains that the publication of these cables continues to be in the public interest, and that the comments made by Julia Gillard have been irresponsible, compromising the defense of Mr Assange in any possible future trial in the US.”

Independent journalists, members of a number of political parties, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties are expected to speak at the rally.