Belarus ranks third in terms of political and civil liberties. Citizens in Belarus enjoy little or no civil liberties and political rights. Citizens are not free to express themselves and enjoy neither political freedom nor representative government. Countries with this political situation are dangerous for investment as an authoritarian government may have excessive control over economic affairs. In terms of economic freedom, companies in Belarus are in 5th place. Citizens in Belarus are not considered free when it comes to their economic decisions. The government prohibits citizens from all economic activities, and some illegal business activities are punishable by imprisonment or even death. Investors should avoid countries that are not economically free as the risks do not justify any possible gain. In terms of journalistic freedom, the media in Belarus ranks 4th. In Belarus, journalists face a very serious situation. Censorship dominates all publications and the government controls most of the media. Journalists who express anti-government opinions can be punished with fines, imprisonment or death.
