Ameen Rhayem could face up to a year in jail if he is charged with violating Lebanon's Article 534 "simply for loving another man."

The activist makes that point in a video produced by Beirut-based sexual-rights group the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality (AFE) in advance of the country's elections on Sunday, the first vote in nine years.

The difference this time around: For the first time in Lebanese history, electoral candidates are promoting gay rights, marking the most high-level endorsement of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender protection in the Arab world. Nearly 100 candidates have publicly called for the decriminalization of homosexuality.

"Before now, there was no politician that was able to publicly endorse the removal of article 534," said AFE's executive director Georges Azzi in an interview with CNN. The phenomenon has driven LGBT activists to urge supporters to take part in the elections.

Dissatisfied with the establishment

The traditional political class, activists argue, has sunk the country into deeper debt, failing infrastructure and a rapidly swelling unemployment rate.

"What we say very simply is that we are against discrimination between Lebanese, between male Lebanese and female Lebanese, between any Lebanese community and any other Lebanese community," said candidate Rania Masri, who is part of the independent Kollouna Watani list.

"We want to end all discriminatory policies. So naturally that includes the LGBTQ community," said Masri.

Kollouna Watani ("We are all our nation" in English) is the country's largest coalition of civil-society members, with 66 candidates. Along with improved women's rights and economic rights, it has made decriminalizing homosexuality part of its election platform.